Citation

Cavelti M, Kaess M. Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00787-021-01834-2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide is among the leading causes of death worldwide, especially among adolescents [8, 24]. The estimated suicide rate for 10- to 19-year-olds based on WHO mortality data from 2010 to 2016 is 3.77/100,000 people [12]. Estimated lifetime prevalence of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts among adolescents are 12.1%, 4.0%, and 4.1%, respectively [20]. The risk of suicide is relatively low in childhood, and significantly increases from early adolescence to late adolescence and early adulthood [7, 12]. The high prevalence and significance of adolescent suicidal behavior stand in strong contrast to the fact that "at-risk youths" are notoriously poor help-seekers [30]. For example, a recent study in adolescents between 11 and 19 years of age found a delay of approximately one year between the first suicide attempt and receiving appropriate professional care [19].

Since adolescence represents a critical time window of opportunity for early detection, prevention and intervention of suicidal behavior, great efforts have recently been made to identify risk and protective factors for suicidal behavior in adolescence [2, 7, 29]. The knowledge of risk and protective factors paves the way for new efforts to identify those adolescents who are at risk for suicide, and for indicated intervention targeting this group, along with population-based universal suicide prevention strategies. In this editorial, we highlight interpersonal risk and protective factors for suicidal behavior in adolescents, and call for a more systemic approach in prevention and treatment programs...

Language: en