A research team from Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina School of Medicine found suicidal thoughts and behaviors may emerge in children as young as 5 years old, according to findings published in the September edition of the JAACAP Open.
The study assessed the feasibility, safety and acceptability of evaluating suicidal thoughts and behaviors in 98 children ages 5 to 10. Children and caregivers were interviewed separately during in-home visits. Researchers also evaluated whether children could understand and respond to questions, how caregivers perceived the process and whether participation led to any short-term behavioral or emotional changes.
Findings showed that 34% of children reported passive suicidal ideation and 33% reported active suicide ideation. Among caregivers, 31% reported passive ideation in their child and 14% reported active ideation. In total, 5% of children disclosed having made a suicide plan and one child reported a suicide attempt. No caregivers reported a suicide attempt by their child, according to the findings.
“In clinical psychology, we’ve learned that waiting until mental health problems — like depression or anxiety — show up in the teenage years can make them harder to treat,” Adam Miller, PhD, associate director of the child and adolescent mood and anxiety disorders program, said. “But when we look earlier in a child’s development, before symptoms fully emerge, we will likely have a better chance of helping to prevent suicide.”
Caregivers also completed follow-up calls one week after the study visit to assess safety and behavioral effects. No children were reported to have experienced increased suicidal behavior, and some caregivers noted improvements in mood. Overall, 13% of caregivers said the study made them uncomfortable.
