Risk of Suicide Attempt in Adopted and Nonadopted Offspring

Abstract

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Adoptees living in Sweden are at increased risk of suicide attempt compared with nonadopted individuals, although factors mediating this risk are largely unknown. Whether adoption status represents a risk for adoptees living in the United States remains unresolved. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:The odds for reported suicide attempt are elevated in US adoptees relative to nonadoptees, the first demonstration of increased risk in US adoptees placed in nonrelative families. This risk is partially mediated by other established risk factors for suicide attempt. abstract OBJECTIVE: We asked whether adoption status represented a risk of suicide attempt for adopted and nonadopted offspring living in the United States. We also examined whether factors known to be associated with suicidal behavior would mediate the relationship between adoption status and suicide attempt. METHODS:Participants were drawn from the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study, which included 692 adopted and 540 nonadopted offspring and was conducted at the University of Minnesota from 1998 to 2008. Adoptees were systematically ascertained from records of 3 large Minnesota adoption agencies; nonadoptees were ascertained from Minnesota birth records. Outcome measures were attempted suicide, reported by parent or offspring, and factors known to be associated with suicidal behavior including psychiatric disorder symptoms, personality traits, family environment, and academic disengagement. RESULTS:The odds of a reported suicide attempt were ∼4 times greater in adoptees compared with nonadoptees (odds ratio: 4.23). After adjustment for factors associated with suicidal behavior, the odds of reporting a suicide attempt were reduced but remained significantly elevated (odds ratio: 3.70).

Parent–Offspring Similarity for Drinking: A Longitudinal Adoption Study

“…In contrast, the majority of the adopted offspring were non-white, with 67% of East Asian (specifically Korean) ancestry, and 12% with various other ethnic backgrounds. Although the adopted and non-adopted samples are consequently not matched for ethnicity, in previous analyses of SIBS data ethnicity was not associated with outcome (Keyes, Malone, Sharma, Iacono, & McGue, 2013). Comparisons of non-adoptive parents’ education and marital status to 2000 census data show that they were generally representative of MN families with two children.…”

Children after adoption: Exploring their psychological needs

“…They noted that adoptees were more likely to have contact with mental health agencies, concluding that this reflected the difference in clinically significant problems compared to non-adoptees. Keyes, Malone, Sharma, Iacono, and McGue (2013) later reported an elevated rate of attempted suicide in adopted children. Miller, Fan, Christensen, Grotevant, and van Dulmen (2000) carried out a large school survey of 1587 adopted and 87,165 non-adopted adolescents, using self-completed questionnaires.…”

Asociación entre adopción y suicidio en adolescentes

“…Esta información es consistente con estudios precedentes que mostraron que las personas en situación de adopción realizaban mayor número de intentos suicidas que la población de referencia 3,9 . Esto sugiere que la situación de adopción en sí misma representa un riesgo para los comportamientos suicidas, posiblemente por el conjunto de situaciones adversas o estresores de todo tipo que matizan el desarrollo individual 10 .…”