Preteen Suicide Risk Screening in the Pediatric Outpatient Setting: A Clinical Pathway

• Published in: Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry 2024-06
• Main Authors: Hennefield, Laura, Denton, Ellen-ge, Chen, Peggy G., Sheftall, Arielle H., Ayer, Lynsay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: pathway; pediatric; preteens; screening; suicide
• ISSN: 2667-2960; 2667-2960
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2024.06.003

We are in a youth mental health crisis with unprecedented and staggeringly high rates of suicidal ideations and suicide behaviors in preteens. In the United States, 14.5% of children aged 9–10 have experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors, including 1.3% with a suicide attempt. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines call for universal suicide risk screening of youth aged 12 years and older during preventative health care visits and screening in preteens aged 8–11 years when clinically indicated. However, what constitutes a clinical indication at 8–11 years can be difficult to systematically detect, and pediatric practitioners may not be equipped with necessary age-specific assessment tools. This is compounded by the lack of emphasis on preteen suicide risk screening (and focus on adolescents), which leaves practitioners without age-appropriate resources to make clinical determinations for at-risk preteens. The objective of this project was to develop an evidence-informed suicide risk screening pathway for pediatric practitioners to implement with preteen patients in outpatient settings. Suicide risk assessment in younger children (