Premium
Suicide Potential and Behavior in Children Ages 4 to 12
Author(s) -
Paulson Morris J.,
Stone Dorothy,
Sposto Richard
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1978.tb00589.x
Subject(s) - marital status , injury prevention , suicide prevention , affect (linguistics) , poison control , medicine , population , pathological , psychiatry , psychology , pediatrics , clinical psychology , medical emergency , environmental health , communication , pathology
From a population of 662 children 12 years of age and under, seen at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, during the years 1970 to 1974, 34 severely depressed children were identified who were also self‐abusive and/or suicidal. Case study revealed fragmented, pathological homes, where the children's affect disorders and behaviors were symptomatic of acute family breakdown, marital disharmony, and observed and experienced violence, both verbal and physical. Follow‐up on all available children, at least three years posttreatment, revealed that no child had committed suicide. Treatment evaluation by the parents was highly positive, with the great majority of children showing fair to good recovery and adjustment.