Prospective risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviour in adolescents with onset, maintenance or cessation of direct self-injurious behaviour

• Published in: European child & adolescent psychiatry 2017-03, Vol.26 (3), p.345-354
• Main Authors: Koenig, Julian, Brunner, Romuald, Fischer-Waldschmidt, Gloria, Parzer, Peter, Plener, Paul L., Park, JiYeon, Wasserman, Camilla, Carli, Vladimir, Hoven, Christina W., Sarchiapone, Marco, Wasserman, Danuta, Resch, Franz, Kaess, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescents; Cessation; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Child development; Clinical trials; Depression - psychology; Empowerment; Europe; Female; Humans; Late onset; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Odds Ratio; Original Contribution; Prevention programs; Prospective Studies; Psychiatry; Public health; Risk behavior; Risk Factors; Self destructive behavior; Self injury; Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology; Studies; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicides & suicide attempts; Teenagers
• ISSN: 1018-8827; 1435-165X; 1435-165X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00787-016-0896-4

Direct self-injurious behaviour (D-SIB) is associated with suicidal behaviour and suicide risk. It is not known if D-SIB cessation reduces these risks. The aim of this study was to explore trajectories of D-SIB and their prospective influence on suicidal thoughts and behaviour during adolescence. Data ( n  = 506; 62.06 % females, 14.53 years) from the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe study were analysed. D-SIB and suicidal thoughts and behaviour were assessed at baseline (T0), 1- (T1) and 2-year follow-up (T2). Onset and maintenance of D-SIB between T0 and T1 were associated with a two to threefold increased odds ratio for suicidal thoughts and behaviour at T2. Suicidal thoughts and behaviour in those terminating D-SIB before T1 were similar compared to those with no life-time history of D-SIB. Late onset and maintenance of D-SIB prospectively indicate risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviour. This is the first study showing that D-SIB cessation reduces later risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviour in adolescence. Suicide prevention efforts should set one focus on reducing adolescent D-SIB.