Detailed assessment of suicidal ideation in youth with bipolar disorder versus major depressive disorder

There is a critical need to better understand the factors underlying the increased suicide risk for youth with bipolar disorder (BD) in order to develop targeted prevention efforts. This study aimed to examine differences in characteristics of suicide ideation (SI) in youth with BD compared to youth with major depressive disorder (MDD) that may be associated with increased suicide risk.

One hundred and fifty-one participants (92 MDD and 59 BD), ages 13-21, completed a diagnostic interview and clinical assessments. Lifetime symptoms of SI and SA were assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to investigate whether the diagnostic group predicted the severity and intensity of the most severe or most common SI with the age of onset, age, and gender as covariates.

Compared to MDD youth, BD youth were more likely to report experiencing more severe SI, p = 0.039, experiencing the most severe SI more frequently, p = 0.002, having less control of the most severe SI, p = 0.012, and that deterrents were less likely to stop them from acting on the most severe SI, p = 0.006.

This study highlights differences in the severity and intensity of SI in youth with BD and suggests that youth with BD have greater difficulty inhibiting thoughts of SI which may lead to less resistance to suicide action. Findings underscore the need for a more detailed assessment of SI in youth with BD to better understand SI as a proximal risk factor for future SA and a potential target for intervention.