Suicidal behavior by preschool children
Abstract
Sixteen suicidal preschoolers age 21/2 to 5 years who were referred to a university child psychiatry outpatient clinic were compared with 16 behaviorally disordered preschoolers matched by age, sex, race, and parental marital and socioeconomic status. The suicidal group showed significantly more nonsuicidal self-directed aggression, loss of interest, morbid ideas, depression (according to the Weinberg criteria, but not DSM-III), impulsivity and hyperactivity, and running away behavior. They also showed significantly less pain and crying after injury; more of the children were unwanted and abused or neglected by parents. Four subgroups of suicidal motivation are identified and discussed.
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Suicidal children are significantly more likely to have been born from unwanted pregnancies.
“Converging results were found in a sample of preschoolers: suicidal children were significantly more likely to be the product of “unwanted” pregnancies (Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1984).”
From The interpersonal theory of suicide. (2010) · cites this paper as Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1984
Suicidal preschoolers, compared with preschoolers who have behavior problems, are more likely to be unwanted by their parents.
“Similarly, suicidal preschoolers (compared to preschoolers with behavior problems) have been shown to be more likely to be unwanted by their parents (Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1984).”
From The interpersonal theory of suicide. (2010) · cites this paper as Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1984
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The interpersonal theory of suicide.
Van Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Cukrowicz, K. C., Braithwaite, S. R., Selby, E. A., & Joiner, T. E. (2010) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/a0018697 · Cited by 5,292 · see citing works
“P A A u th o r M a n u s c rip t problems) have been shown to be more likely to be unwanted by their parents (Rosenthal & Rosenthal, 1984).”
BackgroundResultShaffer, D., & Pfeffer, C. R. (2001) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-200107001-00003 · Cited by 460 · see citing works
Health risk behaviors and attempted suicide in adolescents who report prior maltreatment
Riggs, S., Alario, A. J., & McHorney, C. (1990) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/s0022-3476(05)82679-4 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Dissociation, Physical Pain, and Suicide: A Hypothesis
Orbach, I. (1994) · Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior · doi:10.1111/j.1943-278x.1994.tb00664.x · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Correlates and Consequences of Suicidal Cognitions and Behaviors in Children Ages 3 to 7 Years
Whalen, D. J., Dixon-Gordon, K., Belden, A. C., Barch, D., & Luby, J. L. (2015) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2015.08.009 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Suicide Prevention: State of the Art Review
Stone, D. M., & Crosby, A. E. (2014) · American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine · doi:10.1177/1559827614551130 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
“age do die by suicide and may know what they are doing.(26) Some research suggests that it is a lack of fear about physical pain and death that enables the behavior.”
BackgroundParental displacement and adolescent suicidality: Exploring the role of failed belonging
Timmons, K. A., Selby, E. A., Lewinsohn, P. M., & Joiner, T. E. (2011) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2011.614584 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
- Authors
- Rosenthal, P. A., & Rosenthal, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (US)
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 1984-04-01
- Volume
- 141
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 520-525
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- OpenAlex
- W46156367
- Cited by
- 91
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 6.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- suicidal behavior, preschool children, depression, impulsivity, hyperactivity, child psychiatry
- MeSH terms
- Accidents, Aggression, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Attitude to Death, Child Abuse, Child Behavior Disorders, Child, Preschool, Depressive Disorder, Family, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Infant, Male, Motivation, Object Attachment, Suicide, Attempted, Wounds and Injuries
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