When Children Commit Suicide

Suicide among children is considered rare despite being a leading cause of death in children younger than 15 years of age worldwide (Pelkonen & Marttunen, 2003; Vajani, Annest, Crosby, Alexander, & Mille, 2007). Compared to other age groups, the prevalence of suicide in children is more likely to be underestimated (Beautrais, 2001; Crepeau-Hobson, 2010; Fortune & Hawton, 2007; McClure, 2001) and research in adolescent and youth suicide is growing. While previous studies provided a broad overview of the phenomenon, few focused specifically on suicide in children. A review published in a recent issue of Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention looks at  child suicide and the social, cultural, and economic factors that can increase or decrease the likelihood of its occurrence.  There appears to be some empirical support for the notion that children may be less exposed to common suicide risk factors, such as mental illness and substance abuse, and less likely to display predictive factors, such as prior suicidal behavior (Beautrais, 2001; Groholt, Ekeberg, Wichstrom, & Haldorsen, 1998; Pelkonen & Marttunen, 2003; Schmidt et al., 2002). There is no doubt that the phenomenon of child suicide deserves more attention. Research has shown that social, cultural and environmental factors can exacerbate or mitigate existing personal suicide risk factors in children (King, 2009; Greening, Stoppelbein, & Luebbe, 2010). An economic crisis can greatly influence, and even change, these factors, which can be intensified by the family context. A low level of child-parent communication was found to be a specific risk factor, even after controlling for familial poverty.  Children are especially vulnerable to changes in family circumstances, including parental job migration and/or unemployment.   Subsequently, children may become more predisposed to suicidal ideation and acts. Yet, little is known about children’s specific pathways, the developmental process that influences suicide in them, and which issues need to be addressed in future suicide prevention programs.

For the abstract