Citation

Hunsche MC, Saqui S, Mirenda P, Zaidman-Zait A, Bennett T, Duku E, Elsabbagh M, Georgiades S, Smith IM, Szatmari P, Ungar WJ, Vaillancourt T, Waddell C, Zwaigenbaum L, Kerns CM. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada. cmkerns@psych.ubc.ca.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10803-020-04373-y

PMID

32034647

Abstract

This study investigated rates of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal and/or self-injurious behaviour (SSIB) reported by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist for 178 children with ASD over four annual assessments (ages 7-11 years). Analyses examined the frequency and persistence of SI and SSIB, and the association of SI and SSIB at any time point with child characteristics and internalizing and externalizing problems at age 7. SI occurred in 9.6% of children and was associated with fewer ASD symptoms and better adaptive functioning at age 7. SSIB occurred in 14.6% and was associated with poorer adaptive functioning and more externalizing behaviour at age 7. Internalizing problems were not associated with SI or SSIB at any time point. SI and SSIB rarely co-occurred (4%).

Language: en

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder; Externalizing symptoms; Internalizing symptoms; Suicide