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A rising risk of suicidal or self-harming thoughts in adolescents seem to be linked to a recent event in the teens' lives where have been victimized.
New research, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, says traumatizing incidents, such as sexual assault and maltreatment by peers, can lead to these negative ideas.
According to researchers from the University of New Hampshire, youth suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents in the United States. From 1999 to 2006, eleven percent of all deaths among 12 to 19 year olds was due to suicide. This accounts for more than 16,000 deaths every year.
Previous research has established that genetic vulnerability, social, cultural, familial, and psychological factors contribute to self-harm and suicide. Youth suicides are also strongly associated with mood disorders, substance abuse, and prior suicide attempts.
The research team analyzed data from the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence. Their study also included a survey of a national sample of 1,186 adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years.
Of the youths surveyed, 4.3 percent reported having suicidal thoughts within the month before the interview.
The researchers explained:
"Peer-victimized youth had almost 2.4 times the risk of suicidal ideation, those sexually assaulted in the past year had about 3.4 times the risk and those who were maltreated had almost 4.4 times the risk of suicidal ideation."
Findings also showed that children who were exposed 7 or more times to individual victimization in the past year (polyvictimization) were six times as likely to document having suicidal thoughts.
The authors believe the study findings stress the need to include thorough victimization assessment in adolescent suicide prevention and intervention efforts, most specifically with polyvictimization.
They also encourage treatment responses to peer-perpetrated victimization, sexual assault, and child maltreatment to consider the elevated risk of suicidal behavior.
The researchers conclude:
"Although much research in this area has focused on neurological risks and psychopharmacologic interventions, these findings point to the importance of the environment and the value of victimization prevention in reducing suicidal behavior. A comprehensive approach to suicide prevention needs to address the safety of youth in their homes, schools and neighborhoods."
