FEATURES OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR IN ABUSED CHILDREN AND

ADOLESCENTS
BOGDAN-DANIEL CHIRIL, ILINCA UNTU, MARIUS NEAGU, SIMONA-IRINA DAMIAN, BEATRICEGABRIELA IOAN, CRISTINEL TEFNESCU
University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Gr. T. Popa" Iasi

ABSTRACT:
Suicide is one of the top causes of death worldwide for children (over the
age of 10) and also adolescents, being the result of interactions between the risk
and the protective factors. Abuse is frequently involved in the causality of suicidal
behavior, being a wide phenomenon with major social importance, in all of its
forms: physical, sexual or emotional as well as negligence, which cause the
embrittlement of the psychological structures or precipitate the onset of
psychiatric pathologies that involve a significant suicidal risk.
This paper, as a synthesis of the literature, seeks to attract attention to this
widespread phenomenon, foreshadowing the need for future studies that would
substantiate interventional strategies.

THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
SUICIDE AND ABUSE IN CHILDREN
AND ADOLESCENTS:
One of the most representative risk factors for suicidal behavior in children and
adolescents is the abuse. This includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse
and neglect.
Like suicide, child abuse is a common phenomenon, with an average of 13 to 20%
of cases, studied on large population samples. In addition, each form of abuse is
associated with maladaptive behaviors among children and adolescents, exposing them
to the risk of suicidal behavior.

Keywords: suicidal behavior, children and adolescents, emotional abuse,

physical abuse

INTRODUCTION:
Suicide is the third leading cause of death worldwide for people aged
between 15-24 and the fourth leading cause of death among people aged
between 10-14, the frequency of suicide nearly quadrupled in adolescents over
the last decade. Annually, reports show that about 4 million autolytic attempts
happen, 90,000 of them occurring in individuals aged 10-19. Male individuals
have a significantly higher rate of suicide than the female population, but girls
often report suicidal ideation and unsuccessful autolytic attempts.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUICIDAL
BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS:
Suicidal behavior of this certain group is the result of an imbalance between
risk and protective factors.
Risk factors related to the child / adolescent:
1. Previous attempts of suicide
2. Suicidal ideation, intention, suicidal plan
3. Mental disorders (mood and behavioral disorders, as well as disorders leading
to reduced impulse control
4. Personality disorders
5. Consumption of alcohol/psychoactive substances
6. Feelings of lack of support, discouragement
7. Impulsivity and / or aggressive tendencies
8. Gender Identity Disorders
9. Social isolation
10. Lack of coping abilities
11. Specific religious or cultural clichs
Risk factors related to the family / living environment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Easy access to guns or other lethal means

Family history of suicide
Exposure to suicidal acts of other family members
Contagion of suicidal ideas
Negative influence of media
The absence of a treatment for potential psychiatric disorders associated with
risk of suicide

The relationship between suicidal behavior, physical and sexual

abuse, risk factors and related psychiatric
Three primary factors that determine the risk of suicide:
unfulfilled desire for social contact

negative thoughts

tendency for self harm

familiarity with
physical or
psychological
pain leads to
suicidal behavior

physical or
psychological
shock

The ability to
engage in
autolytic acts
represents an
instinct acquired
over time .

Protective factors of suicidal behavior in children and adolescents:

Interpersonal and environmental factors Individual factors
Problem-solving skills
Strong connection with the family
Conflict resolution skills
Good verbal communication
Adequate self-esteem
Parental involvement
General coping skills
Family cohesion
Supportive
and
protective
family
atmosphere
Adequate social network
Religiousness
Lack of access to guns and other lethal
means
Warning signs of suicide in children and adolescents:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

The presence of suicidal ideation

Search for a lethal means
Conversations about suicide, documentation on how to commit suicide
Consumption of alcohol/psychoactive substances
Anxiety
Hopelessness, disillusionment
Social withdrawal
The symptoms or even mania episode
Dysfunctional behaviors
Psycho-emotional instability

physical and sexual abuse

in addition to other risk
factors greatly increases
suicide risk

emotional abuse and

negligence per se are
stronger predictors of
suicidal behavior than
physical and sexual abuse

CONCLUSIONS:
The frequency of suicidal behavior in both children and adolescents has
increased significantly in recent years, representing a plurifactorial phenomenon ,
with both psychiatric factors, mostly related to depression, conduct disorder and
alcohol or substance abuse and also various environmental factors including
dysfunctional families, school failure, faulty relationships within the entourage.
Among the fundamental causes underlying suicidal behavior in children and
adolescents is abuse involving all its forms: physical, sexual or emotional abuse and
also neglegience. Emotional abuse has the most important role in the whole suicidal
pattern, given his involvement in all facets of abuse. How to tackle suicide in relation
to abuse still remains unorganized and inadequate, thus keeping open an important
research topic, suicide in both children and adolescents, raising the issue of
improving the means of effective intervention for this situation of global importance.