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Suicidal Behavior in Juvenile Delinquents: The Role of ADHD and Other Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders

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Abstract

This study evaluated the role of psychiatric morbidity in relation to a history of suicidal behavior, with a particular focus on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Suicidality and psychiatric diagnoses were assessed in 370 incarcerated male juvenile delinquents from Northern Russia using the semi-structured K-SADS-PL psychiatric interview. A lifetime history of suicidal ideation only (24.7 %) and suicidal ideation with suicide attempts (15.7 %) was common. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the role of ADHD and other psychiatric disorders in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. A history of suicidal ideation and of suicide attempts were associated with higher rates of psychiatric morbidity and with the number of comorbid psychiatric disorders. An ADHD diagnosis was associated with an increased risk for both suicidal ideation and for suicide attempts. The comorbidity of ADHD with drug dependence further increased the risk for suicidal ideation, while ADHD and alcohol dependence comorbidity increased the risk for suicide attempts. Our findings highlight the importance of adequately detecting and treating psychiatric disorders in vulnerable youths, especially when they are comorbid with ADHD.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

  2. Child Study Center, Yale University Medical School, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Vladislav Ruchkin

  3. Säter Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, 783 27, Säter, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

  4. Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Welfare, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Roman A. Koposov

  5. Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Dr, Antoni Pujades, 42, Sant Boi de Llobregat, 08830, Barcelona, Spain

    Ai Koyanagi

  6. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, 28029, Madrid, Spain

    Ai Koyanagi

  7. Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Centre for Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan

    Andrew Stickley

  8. The Stockholm Center for Health and Social Change (SCOHOST), Södertörn University, 141 89, Huddinge, Sweden

    Andrew Stickley

  9. Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Andrew Stickley

Authors
  1. Vladislav Ruchkin
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  2. Roman A. Koposov
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  3. Ai Koyanagi
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  4. Andrew Stickley
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Correspondence to Vladislav Ruchkin.

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Ruchkin, V., Koposov, R.A., Koyanagi, A. et al. Suicidal Behavior in Juvenile Delinquents: The Role of ADHD and Other Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 48, 691–698 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-016-0693-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-016-0693-9

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