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The relationship between profiles and transitions of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children and suicidal thoughts in early adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 October 2019

Dylan Johnson ,
John D. McLennan ,
Jon Heron  and
Ian Colman Open the ORCID record for Ian Colman [Opens in a new window]
Dylan Johnson
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health
John D. McLennan
Affiliation:
University of Calgary, Department of Pediatrics Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario-Research Institute
Jon Heron
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, Centre for Academic Mental Health
Ian Colman*
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health
*
Author for correspondence: Ian Colman, E-mail: icolman@uottawa.ca
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Abstract

Background

Adolescence is a high-risk period for the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Identification of preceding patterns of internalizing and externalizing symptoms that are associated with subsequent suicidal thoughts may offer a better understanding of how to prevent adolescent suicide.

Methods

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, a prospective population-based Canadian cohort, contained Child Behavior Checklist items which were used to examine profiles and transitions of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children, aged 6–11 years (n = 8266). The association between these profiles/transitions and suicidal thoughts in adolescents was examined using multivariate logistic regression modeling.

Results

Latent profile analyses identified four measurement invariant profiles of internalizing and externalizing symptoms at ages 6/7 and 10/11: (1) low on all symptoms, (2) moderate on all symptoms, (3) high on all symptoms, and (4) high on hyperactivity/inattention and internalizing. Recurrent (homotypic or heterotypic) and increasing symptoms from 6/7 to 10/11 were associated with suicidal thoughts in adolescence, compared to those with stable low symptoms. Those with decreasing symptoms from 6/7 to 10/11 were not at increased risk of suicidal thought in adolescence.

Conclusions

While patterns of recurrent symptoms were associated with suicidal thoughts, a similar association was observed between profiles at age 10/11 years and suicidal thoughts. This suggests that the recent assessments of mental health symptoms in children may be as sufficient a predictor of adolescent suicidal thought as transition profiles.

Keywords

Adolescencechildhoodexternalizinginternalizingsuicidal thought
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 50 , Issue 15 , November 2020 , pp. 2566 - 2574
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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