Suicide attempts and risk factors among children and adolescents

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of suicide attempts, and to identify the risk factors for suicide attempts in Turkish children and adolescents between the ages 10 and 20 years. Multi-step, stratified, cluster sampling was used. A stratified sample of 4256 students was selected as representative of the city's school children population. Data was obtained with a pair of structured questionnaires designed to evaluate the presence and risk factors of suicide attempts, both in the children and adolescents and their parents. These questionnaires investigated family environment, subject characteristics, and various risk factors for suicide attempts. Child Beck Depression Inventory (CBDI) was administered to all children and adolescents. After the data quality control process, the study sample was reduced to 4143 children and adolescents. Children and adolescents were divided two groups according to the experience or non-experience of suicide attempts: group 1 (n=80) and group 2 (n=4063), respectively. Three categories of independent variables were assessed: adolescent, family, and socioeconomic characteristics. Logistic regression models were based on the children and adolescents and on parent reports. The prevalence of suicide attempts as reported by the children and adolescents was 1.93% (n=80). The mean age of group 1 was higher than that of group 2 (p=0.002, t=-3.172), as was the mean score of CBDI (p=0.000, t=-9.083). Logistic regression analysis indicated that having problems with parents, using illicit drugs, and psychiatric problems in relatives best predicted suicide attempts in Turkish children and adolescents.