Citation

Fuller-Thomson E, Carroll SZ, Yang W. J. Learn. Disabil. (Thousand Oaks) 2018; 51(3): 283-292.

Affiliation

University of Toronto, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0022219417714776

PMID

28635417

Abstract

Several studies have linked specific learning disorders (SLDs) with suicidal ideation, but less is known about the disorders' association with suicide attempts. This gap in the literature is addressed via the 2012 nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey ( n = 21,744). The prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts among those with an SLD was much higher than those without (11.1% vs. 2.7%, p <.001). In comparison with their peers without SLDs, adults with SLDs had 46% higher odds of having ever attempted suicide, even after adjusting for most known risk factors (e.g., childhood adversities, history of mental illness and substance abuse, sociodemographics; odds ratio = 1.46, 95% CI [1.05, 2.04]). The largest attenuation in the association between SLD and suicidal attempts was accounted for by adverse childhood experiences. Among those with SLDs ( n = 745), a history of witnessing chronic parental domestic violence and ever having had a major depressive disorder were associated with substantially higher odds of suicide attempts.

Language: en

Keywords

Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health; adverse childhood experiences; specific learning disorders; suicide attempts