Risk for Suicidal Thoughts Increased in Teens With Persistent Withdrawn Behaviors

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Persistent withdrawn symptoms and increasing somatic symptoms during early to mid adolescence are associated with an increased risk for suicidal thoughts in mid adolescence, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in JAMA Network Open.

Akito Uno, M.D., from the University of Tokyo, and colleagues assessed which categories and trajectories of psychopathological and behavioral symptoms are associated with suicidal thoughts in adolescence. The analysis included data from three waves of the Tokyo Teen Cohort study (2,780 adolescents) conducted at ages 10, 12, and 16 years from October 2012 to September 2021.

The researchers found that 8.2 percent of participants had suicidal thoughts. When adjusting for each symptom trajectory and confounders, adolescents with persistent high withdrawn symptoms (odds ratio, 1.88) and increasing somatic symptoms (odds ratio, 1.97) had a significantly higher risk for suicidal thoughts versus adolescents without these symptoms. For the risk for suicidal thoughts, there was no interaction between these symptom trajectories.

"A wide range of people involved in adolescent health should pay attention to the suicidal risk associated with these symptoms and consider the possibility of providing psychosocial support, particularly when the symptoms persist or increase in the longitudinal follow-up," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to industry.

Abstract/Full Text