The study suggests that parents significantly underestimated major depression in their offspring who have attempted suicide. Parents of suicide attemptors tended to underestimate the rates of other psychiatric disorders as well, including aggressive conduct disorder, oppositional disorder, and overanxious disorder. Parents did somewhat better in recognizing drug and alcohol abuse by their suicidal adolescents. However, they greatly underestimated the extent and frequency of alcohol abuse. Mood disorders such as depression are the most important factor predisposing to adolescent suicide, research has shown.
Substance abuse is another key risk factor .
Other psychiatric disorders may be underestimated as well. Led by psychologist Drew M. Velting, Ph.D., of Ball State University, with child and adolescent psychiatrist David Schaffer, M.D. of Columbia University, the researchers investigated the psychiatric characteristics of teens who made serious but unsuccessful suicide attempts by comparing the teens self-reported symptom rating to those obtained from parent interviews. Now you may join the NAMI E-News Alert Listing and have all of the latest mental health updates delivered to your email account.