Correlates of suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury in a large community sample of children

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little research has examined the correlates of suicidal ideation (SI) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in children. To address this gap, we sought to identify demographic, psychological and parent-related factors associated with increased SI and NSSI in this population. METHOD: Participants were 697 children (ages 7-11; 62.6% Non-Hispanic White; 51.9% boys) and their mothers recruited from the community. Information was collected regarding children's histories of SI and NSSI, demographics, children's and mothers' psychopathology, mothers' prior suicide attempt and parenting styles. RESULTS: SI and NSSI were relatively common in this age range, with lifetime rates of 12.6% and 6.3%, respectively. Rates of both outcomes were higher in boys, Hispanic youth, children with histories of major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, children with higher levels of internalising and externalising symptoms and children of mothers with histories of agoraphobia. Additional relations were specific to SI (child history of generalised anxiety disorder, mother's prior suicide attempt and maternal warmth) or NSSI (minority race, mother history of panic disorder and maternal authoritarianism). CONCLUSIONS: Results provide evidence for correlates of SI and NSSI in children spanning demographic, psychopathology-related and parenting variables, which may further our understanding of which children are at greatest risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviours.