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Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Conner, KR; Wyman, P; Goldston, DB; Bossarte, RM; Lu, N; Kaukeinen, K; Tu, XM; Houston, RJ; Lamis, DA; Chan, G; Bucholz, KK; Hesselbrock, VM
Published in: J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol
2016

We tested hypotheses that greater connectedness to parent(s) is associated with lower risk for nonlethal suicidal thoughts and behavior (STB), termed direct protective effects, and that parent connectedness serves to moderate (lower) the risk for STB associated with psychopathology including major depressive episode (MDE), termed moderating protective effects. Independent samples of children and adolescents recruited for a multicenter study of familial alcoholism were studied. Generalized estimating equation models were used that adjusted for age, sex, and youth psychopathology variables. The sample for Study 1 was assessed at baseline and about 2- and 4-year follow-ups, with baseline characteristics of n = 921, M age = 14.3 ± 1.8 years, and 51.8% female. The sample for Study 2 was assessed at baseline and about 5-year follow-up, with baseline characteristics of n = 867, M age = 12.0 ± 3.2 years, and 51.0% female. In both studies, increased perceived connectedness to father but not mother was associated with lower risk for measures of STB, consistent with direct protective effects. In Study 1, measures of parent connectedness were associated with lower risk for STB but only for youth that did not experience MDE (or alcohol use disorder), inconsistent with moderating protective effects. Study 2 showed that connectedness to fathers was associated with lower risk for suicide plans or attempts (severe STB) but not frequent thoughts of death or dying (nonsevere STB). Improved connectedness to fathers may lower risk for STB in children and adolescents, consistent with direct protective effects. Hypotheses about moderating protective effects were not supported.

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Published In

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol

DOI

EISSN

1537-4424

Publication Date

2016

Volume

45

Issue

2

Start / End Page

129 / 140

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Suicide, Attempted
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Risk-Taking
  • Risk
  • Parents
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Object Attachment
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Follow-Up Studies
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Conner, K. R., Wyman, P., Goldston, D. B., Bossarte, R. M., Lu, N., Kaukeinen, K., … Hesselbrock, V. M. (2016). Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol, 45(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2014.952009
Conner, Kenneth R., Peter Wyman, David B. Goldston, Robert M. Bossarte, Naiji Lu, Kimberly Kaukeinen, Xin M. Tu, et al. “Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents.J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 45, no. 2 (2016): 129–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2014.952009.
Conner KR, Wyman P, Goldston DB, Bossarte RM, Lu N, Kaukeinen K, et al. Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2016;45(2):129–40.
Conner, Kenneth R., et al. “Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents.J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol, vol. 45, no. 2, 2016, pp. 129–40. Pubmed, doi:10.1080/15374416.2014.952009.
Conner KR, Wyman P, Goldston DB, Bossarte RM, Lu N, Kaukeinen K, Tu XM, Houston RJ, Lamis DA, Chan G, Bucholz KK, Hesselbrock VM. Two Studies of Connectedness to Parents and Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior in Children and Adolescents. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2016;45(2):129–140.

Published In

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol

DOI

EISSN

1537-4424

Publication Date

2016

Volume

45

Issue

2

Start / End Page

129 / 140

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Suicide, Attempted
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Risk-Taking
  • Risk
  • Parents
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Object Attachment
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Follow-Up Studies