Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center
Psychopathology, Cognition, and Suicide in Adolescents
Principal Investigator
Christianne Esposito-Smythers, PhD Co-Investigators:
Anthony Spirito, PhD
Ronald Seifer, Ph.D.
Funding Source
National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of Mental Health
Description
Suicidal ideation is strongly related to subsequent suicide attempts. Suicide attempts, in turn, increase the risk for eventual completed suicide, which is the third leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. The large majority of adolescents who engage in suicidal behavior have a clinical diagnosis, with major depressive disorder most strongly associated with suicidal ideation and attempts in youth. Moreover, the risk for a suicide attempt increases threefold when depressed adolescents are diagnosed with a concurrent anxiety disorder and/or disruptive behavior disorder. Yet, few studies have examined the process through which these clinical diagnoses lead to suicidality in youth. The purpose of this study is to examine whether various dysfunctional thought processes shown to be associated with clinical disorders predispose adolescents toward suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Significance
Information obtained from this study will help to increase our understanding of thought processes associated with suicidal behavior in adolescents. It may also be used to inform cognitive-behavioral interventions with suicidal adolescents.
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