Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about the circumstances related to suicide among children and adolescents 15 years and younger.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a psychological autopsy, colle...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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BMC
2012-01-01
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Series: | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
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Online Access: | http://www.capmh.com/content/6/1/1 |
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author | Freuchen Anne Kjelsberg Ellen Lundervold Astri J Grøholt Berit |
author_facet | Freuchen Anne Kjelsberg Ellen Lundervold Astri J Grøholt Berit |
author_sort | Freuchen Anne |
collection | DOAJ |
description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about the circumstances related to suicide among children and adolescents 15 years and younger.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a psychological autopsy, collecting information from parents, hospital records and police reports on persons below the age of 16 who had committed suicide in Norway during a 12-year period (1993-2004) (n = 41). Those who committed suicide were compared with children and adolescents who were killed in accidents during the same time period (n = 43) and with a community sample. <b>Results: </b>Among the suicides 25% met the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis and 30% had depressive symptoms at the time of death. Furthermore, 60% of the parents of the suicide victims reported the child experienced some kind of stressful conflict prior to death, whereas only 12% of the parents of the accident victims reported such conflicts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>One in four suicide victims fulfilled the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. The level of sub-threshold depression and of stressful conflict experienced by youths who committed suicide did not appear to differ substantially from that of their peers, and therefore did not raise sufficient concern for referral to professional help.</p> |
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format | Article |
id | doaj.art-568b6870f4f74428a5ad1721d550227e |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1753-2000 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-10T19:28:06Z |
publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
publisher | BMC |
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series | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
spelling | doaj.art-568b6870f4f74428a5ad1721d550227e2022-12-22T01:36:20ZengBMCChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health1753-20002012-01-0161110.1186/1753-2000-6-1Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sampleFreuchen AnneKjelsberg EllenLundervold Astri JGrøholt Berit<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about the circumstances related to suicide among children and adolescents 15 years and younger.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a psychological autopsy, collecting information from parents, hospital records and police reports on persons below the age of 16 who had committed suicide in Norway during a 12-year period (1993-2004) (n = 41). Those who committed suicide were compared with children and adolescents who were killed in accidents during the same time period (n = 43) and with a community sample. <b>Results: </b>Among the suicides 25% met the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis and 30% had depressive symptoms at the time of death. Furthermore, 60% of the parents of the suicide victims reported the child experienced some kind of stressful conflict prior to death, whereas only 12% of the parents of the accident victims reported such conflicts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>One in four suicide victims fulfilled the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. The level of sub-threshold depression and of stressful conflict experienced by youths who committed suicide did not appear to differ substantially from that of their peers, and therefore did not raise sufficient concern for referral to professional help.</p>http://www.capmh.com/content/6/1/1Childrenadolescentssuicidefatal accidents |
spellingShingle | Freuchen Anne Kjelsberg Ellen Lundervold Astri J Grøholt Berit Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health Children adolescents suicide fatal accidents |
title | Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
title_full | Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
title_fullStr | Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
title_full_unstemmed | Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
title_short | Differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers: A psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
title_sort | differences between children and adolescents who commit suicide and their peers a psychological autopsy of suicide victims compared to accident victims and a community sample |
topic | Children adolescents suicide fatal accidents |
url | http://www.capmh.com/content/6/1/1 |
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