This study aims to improve understanding and assessment of suicidal ideation (SI) in children aged 8-12, particularly among ethnoracially diverse populations, by integrating culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate tools. Recognizing the limitations of traditional assessments, the project uses a mixed-methods approach to characterize SI profiles based on chronicity, persistence, and severity. The ultimate goal is to develop innovative suicide risk assessments that bridge research and clinical care.
Children and their caregivers will be recruited from emergency departments and inpatient psychiatric units in New York City and Austin, Texas, within two weeks of a suicide attempt (SA) or reported SI. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, researchers will collect data through semi-structured interviews, self-report questionnaires, and an innovative tool called body mapping, which allows children to visually depict their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations associated with SI or SA. Verbal interviews will explore the content, frequency, and severity of SI, including unique pathways, such as episodic versus chronic ideation, while body mapping helps overcome developmental and cultural barriers to traditional assessments.
In addition to baseline assessments, caregivers and children will complete follow-ups at three and six months. Data will be analyzed using thematic coding and advanced statistical modeling, such as latent class analysis, to identify SI profiles and their predictive validity for future SI severity and SAs. Findings will also examine caregiver-child congruence in recognizing expressions of distress, a critical gap in understanding suicidal behaviors among children.
By integrating multiple informants and culturally grounded tools, this study seeks to advance clinical risk assessments and intervention strategies for pre-adolescent youth at risk for suicide.