PROJECT TITLE Parental history of suicidal behavior and early markers of risk in pre-pubescent youth. PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT A parental history of suicidal behavior is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior in offspring and a younger age of onset for first suicide attempt, but the specific factors accounting for this elevated risk are unknown and represents a critical gap in the field. The objective of this mixed-methods study is to examine specific vulnerability factors associated with the familial risk of suicidal behavior in a group of pre-pubescent children at high risk for a first suicide attempt due to parental history of suicide attempt. Using the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, the two vulnerability factors to be examined are neurocognitive functioning and emotional regulation/reactivity. RDoC constructs include cognitive control/attention, reward learning, arousal, and social communication. Study methods include computerized behavioral tasks assessing the negative and positive valence and cognitive systems, observational techniques evaluating the social processes and arousal and regulatory systems, and interviews/self-report measures measuring early indicators of risk for future suicidal behavior. Study participants will be children (6-9 years) and their biological parents. Children will be in one of two groups: a) children with a parental history of suicide attempt and current parental mood symptomology (PH+;n=100); and b) children of parents with current mood symptomology but no history of suicide attempt and no first-degree relative (e.g., parent's sibling) history of suicidal behavior (PH- ;n=100). The sample will be balanced by race (100 black; 100 non-black children; 50 per group) and sex (50% female). At this age, early indicators of risk for future suicidal behavior include suicidal ideation (SI) and depression. For this study, these measures will serve as proxies for future suicidal behavior. Two main research aims and one exploratory aim will be tested:
Aim 1 : Examine the association between parental history of suicidal behavior, cognitive control/attention, reward learning, social communication, and arousal in pre- pubescent children at high risk for a first suicide attempt (PH+).
Aim 2 : Investigate the effect of family loading of suicidal behavior on neurocognitive functioning and emotional reactivity/regulation RDoC constructs. Exploratory Aim: Test race and sex as potential moderators associated with the proposed model of familial risk of suicidal behavior. The hypotheses are informed by promising pilot work examining the proposed vulnerability factors in children with and without a parental history of suicidal behavior. Differences between PH+ and PH- children have been found on measures of thought dysfunction (including thoughts of self-harm), total internalizing/externalizing problems, stressful life events, temperament dysregulation, and number of first- and second-degree relatives with suicidal behavior. Successful completion of the proposed study will contribute to the discovery of specific mechanisms associated with the familial risk of suicidal behavior and provide direction for targeted prevention strategies for youth at high risk.
A parental history of suicidal behavior is associated with a four to six-fold-increased risk of suicidal behavior in their offspring and a younger age of onset for first suicide attempt. Although the familial transmission of suicidal behavior has been well documented, the specific factors accounting for this elevated risk are unknown and represents a critical gap in the field. The objective of this multi-methods study is to examine specific vulnerability factors associated with the familial risk of suicidal behavior in a group of pre-pubescent children at high risk for a first suicide attempt due to parental history of suicidal behavior.
