Citation

Herres J, Shearer A, Kodish T, Kim B, Wang SB, Diamond GS. Crisis 2019; ePub(ePub): 1-7.

Affiliation

Department of Couple and Family Therapy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Publisher Hogrefe Publishing)

DOI

10.1027/0227-5910/a000571

PMID

30813828

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Adolescent suicidality is a growing public health concern. Although evidence supports a link between anxiety and suicidality, little is known about risk associated with specific anxiety disorders. AIMS: This study examined the prevalence of anxiety disorders in a sample of adolescents with depression and suicidal ideation and the associations between specific anxiety disorders and suicide ideation severity and attempt history.

METHOD: The sample consisted of 115 adolescents ( M_age = 14.96 years; 55.8% African American) entering a clinical trial for suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. Prior to treatment, adolescents completed self-report and interview measures.

RESULTS: In all, 48% of the sample met criteria for an anxiety disorder, 22% met criteria for social anxiety disorder (SAD), and 40% met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). SAD was uniquely associated with more severe suicidal ideation. LIMITATIONS: Findings may not generalize to all suicidal adolescents, and non-measured variables may account for the observed relationships.

CONCLUSION: Future research should examine whether targeting social anxiety would improve treatment response for suicidal adolescents.

Language: en

Keywords

anxiety; child/adolescent; depression; social anxiety disorder; suicide