Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Correlates of Suicide-Related Behaviors among Children Ages Six to Twelve

Martinez, Molly S
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1384218004

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Research has shown young children do contemplate and attempt suicide and are considered an under-studied population. Studies have identified risk factors for suicide-related behaviors among children across several domains; however, few studies have examined how risk factors from disparate domains interact to increase or decrease risk for suicide attempt in children. The Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) study (Findling et al., 2010; Horwitz et al., 2010) has collected a wealth of data on a child (ages 6 to 12) community mental health sample enriched for elevated symptoms of mania. Current or past suicidal acts were present for 57 (8.4%) of the 678 participants in the LAMS study for whom SRB status could be determined. For the current project, data from the LAMS study were analyzed in a multiple logistic regression model-building procedure. First, five independent domain-specific models (i.e., demographic variables, psychiatric family history, child psychopathology, psychosocial factors, and stressful life events) were constructed to better understand correlates of suicide-related behaviors among children in the sample. Subsequently, an integrated model of the combined influence of these factors was developed. Covariates that were highly associated with SRB in the domain-specific models were as follows: Demographic variables--age at baseline (OR=1.31) and having both biological parents as primary and secondary caregiver (OR=.51); Family history variables--having a parent attempt suicide (OR=2.71); Child psychopathology variables--suicidal ideation (OR=20.41), tobacco use (OR=3.98), and anhedonia (OR=2.01); Psychosocial variables--changing schools for reasons other than normal progression (OR=2.06), quality of parent-child relationship (OR=1.36), and ever having an academic tutor (OR=.30); Stressful life events--knowing someone who had recently tried to hurt him/herself (OR=3.24), mother or father recently remarrying (OR=3.23), ending a close friendship (OR=2.90), increased fighting with parents (OR=2.86), and having a friend who recently died (OR=.27). A comprehensive model that combined factors across all five domains resulted in a model that included three covariates: ever having experienced significant suicidal ideation (OR=31.27), mother or father recently remarrying (OR=1.87), and ever having an academic tutor (OR=.22). Understanding the complex interrelation of factors that coalesce to increase and/or decrease risk for SRB in children with the goal of establishing a developmentally sensitive biopsychosocial model of SRB is worthy of future research.
Mary Fristad, PhD (Committee Member)
Beck Steven, PhD (Committee Member)
Cheavens Jennifer, PhD (Committee Member)
180 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Mental Health; Psychology
pscyhology, clinical psychology, child and adolescent psychology, suicide, suicide attempt, suicide-related behavior, child suicide, youth suicide, logistic regression, LAMS

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Martinez, M. S. (2013). Correlates of Suicide-Related Behaviors among Children Ages Six to Twelve [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1384218004

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Martinez, Molly. Correlates of Suicide-Related Behaviors among Children Ages Six to Twelve. 2013. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1384218004.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Martinez, Molly. "Correlates of Suicide-Related Behaviors among Children Ages Six to Twelve." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1384218004

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1384218004
3,800
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.