Study identifies 24-hour warning signs for suicide attempts among teens

Changes in emotion, cognition, and behaviour over a 24-hour period may tell risk of suicide attempts among adolescents, with suicidal communications and withdrawal from social and other activities identified as key warning signs, according to a study.

For the study, researchers used reports from adolescents and parents to identify 24-hour warning signs for suicide attempts.

A total of 1,094 adolescents aged 13–18 years who had one or more suicide risk factors completed a bi-weekly, 8–10-item text message surveys for 8 months. Those who reported a suicide attempt were invited to participate in an interview about their experiences in the 24 hours before the attempt (case period) and the 24 hours before that (control period). The interview covered the adolescents’ thoughts, feelings/emotions, and behaviours/events. At the same time, the parents were interviewed regarding the adolescents’ behaviours/events during the case and control periods.

Adolescent or adolescent-and-parent interviews were completed for 105 participants (81.9 percent female, 66.7 percent White).

Case and control periods were differentiated by both parent and adolescent reports of suicidal communications and withdrawal from social and other activities. In multivariable models, adolescent reports of feelings (self-hate, emotional pain, rush of feelings, lower levels of rage toward others), cognitions (suicidal rumination, perceived burdensomeness, anger/hostility), and serious conflict with parents emerged as key warning signs.

The findings have the potential to recognize and intervene at a time of acute risk, according to the researchers. Additionally, it can inform new strategies for the recognition of warning signs and targeted interventions at times of heightened near-term risk.