Parental Suicide Increases Same Risk In Children

Children often mimic what their parents do. Unfortunately, for parents who attempt suicide, their children are also more likely to do so. 

Recent studies have found a potential link between family and suicidal behavior. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh examined 701 children between the ages of 10 and 50 whose parents dealt with mood disorders. There were 334 parents--191 of whom had a history of attempting suicide.

Findings revealed that 6.3 percent of children in the study had made suicide attempts before participating in the study, while another 4.1 percent had even attempted it during the study period.

"Impulsive aggression was an important precursor of mood disorder and could be targeted in interventions designed to prevent youth at high familial risk from making a suicide attempt," said lead study author Dr. David A. Brent, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, in a news release.

Even after researchers accounted for potential mood disorders that might have been shared by both parent and child, the results still remained the same

"For parents who have a history of depression, bipolar disorder and/or suicide attempts, they should be aware of the potential risk for their children and be proactive in having an evaluation if the child is experiencing depression or other psychiatric symptoms," said Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, president and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation in New York City. "Just as parents seek professional help if they are concerned about their child's physical health, parents should be proactive in observing their children's mental health and seeking a professional evaluation if they are concerned."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via JAMA Psychiatry.

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