Assessment and management of depression and suicidality: Pediatric resident perspectives on training and practice

Primary care is a common access point for children and adolescents with depression and suicidality concerns. In this setting, pediatricians typically function as front-line providers given barriers that patients face in accessing mental health clinicians.

This study surveyed chief residents from all pediatric residency programs in the United States (N = 214) to evaluate (a) their attitudes, knowledge, practices, and comfort in managing depression and suicidality concerns in primary care, and (b) the relationship between residency training processes and pediatric residents' practices, knowledge, and comfort related to identifying and managing depression and suicidality.

The usable response rate was 37.6%. The large majority of respondents are involved in evaluation and management of depression and suicidality; yet many respondents reported a lack of knowledge and comfort in these roles.

Recommendations for pediatric residency program training processes are discussed, including the potential added value of colocating mental health clinicians into the primary care continuity training clinic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).