Citation

Pfeffer CR, Martins P, Mann J, Sunkenberg M, Ice A, Damore JP, Gallo C, Karpenos I, Jiang H. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 1997; 36(1): 65-74.

Affiliation

Cornell University College of Medicine, White Plains, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9000783

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe psychosocial characteristics of children and young adolescents who experienced the recent suicidal death of a parent or sibling. METHOD: Sixteen families with children aged 5 years to 14 years and who experienced the suicidal death of a relative on average within the year of research assessment were recruited from the community and evaluated with standard research instruments for levels of children's psychiatric symptoms and social adjustment. RESULTS: Child survivors of suicide had a higher rate of internalizing symptoms and poorer school adjustments than a standard community sample. Twenty-five percent of the families had children who reported clinically significant symptoms of depression. Approximately 40% of the families included children who reported at least moderate symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Approximately 31% of families had at least one child who reported suicidal ideation, but no child reported a suicide attempt. Significant associations were identified between psychosocial features of the children and parental psychiatric symptoms and stressful life events. CONCLUSION: Child survivors of suicide are at risk for psychiatric symptoms and social maladjustment which require early identification and preventive intervention to minimize risk for more extensive psychosocial morbidity.

Language: en