Correlates of Suicide Ideation and Attempts in Children and Adolescents With Eating Disorders

Abstract

This is the first study determining correlates of suicide behavior in children with eating disorders using multiple sleep, psychological, and demographic variables. Mothers rated suicide ideation and attempts in 90 children ages 7-18 with bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa. Suicide ideation was more prevalent in children with bulimia nervosa (43%) than children with anorexia nervosa (20%). All children with bulimia nervosa who experienced ideation attempted suicide, whereas only 3% of children with anorexia nervosa attempted suicide. Correlates of ideation were externalizing behavior problems and sleep disturbances. Correlates of attempts were bulimia nervosa, self-induced vomiting, nightmares, and physical or sexual abuse. These problems should be assessed and targeted for intervention because of their association with suicide behavior.

Suicide Ideation and Attempts are Associated with Co-occurring Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Sadness in Children and Adolescents with ADHD

“…Dependent variables were suicide ideation ("talks about harming or killing self") and suicide attempts ("deliberately harms self or attempts suicide"). These PBS suicide ideation and attempt items have been used in previously published studies to assess suicide behavior (Mayes et al 2013(Mayes et al , 2014. Independent variables were individual PBS items or combinations of related items, including (1) bullied by peers, (2) bullies other children, (3) sad, (4) anxious, (5) defiant/argues, (6) aggressive, (7) angry/irritable, (8) explosive, (9) moody, (10) impulsive, (11) social problems (difficulty making friends, does not get along with other children, and poor social judgment), (12) eating disturbance (poor appetite, over eating, binging, and purging), (13) sleeping more than most other children, (14) sleeping less than normal and difficulty falling and staying asleep, (15) somatic complaints (headaches, stomachaches, and complaints of feeling sick), and (16) difficulty learning.…”

Correlates of suicidal ideation in college women with eating disorders

“…1 | I N TR ODU C TI ON Suicidal ideation (SI), defined as thoughts or preoccupations about suicide, is common across persons with eating disorder (ED) diagnoses, with almost half reporting SI (Portzky, van Heeringen, & Vervaet, 2014). In adolescents, binge eating and body mass index (BMI) percentile are correlates of SI (Mayes et al, 2014). For adults with EDs, data suggest that purging behaviors, rather than ED diagnosis (Franko & Keel, 2006;Pisetsky, Thornton, Lichtenstein, Pedersen, & Bulik, 2013) are strongly associated with suicidality.…”

Long‐term follow up of hospitalized pediatric anorexia nervosa restricting type

“…The mortality rate generally increases significantly with the length of follow up: in the present study, one of two patients died >10 years after onset. Suicide attempt is also related to longer duration of symptoms and comorbid depression or anxiety disorder . Both of the two patients in this study died during PR or NR status.…”

“…Suicide attempt is also related to longer duration of symptoms and comorbid depression or anxiety disorder. 33 Both of the two patients in this study died during PR or NR status. Again, the importance of long-term follow up, especially for incomplete recovery, is warranted.…”