Growing evidence suggests that vulnerability to suicide is partly established early in life. Identifying early indicators would open doors for developing new suicide prevention strategies. Researchers from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch assessed findings from 54 studies investigating vulnerability to suicide between the prenatal period and 12 years of age.
- The scientists found strong evidence linking certain socioeconomic and obstetric factors with a higher risk of death by suicide. These factors include being born to a younger mother, having older siblings, and having a low birth weight.
- Some evidence suggests that certain parental factors, such as smoking during pregnancy or single marital status, may be linked to a higher suicide risk in their offspring.
- Although few studies have examined early childhood neurodevelopment and adverse exposures, findings suggest that childhood exposure to the death of a parent by accident, violence, or suicide may be linked to a future risk of suicide.
- The scientists also highlighted several unanswered questions, including whether and how early life exposures might increase vulnerability to suicide death decades later.
Reference
Vidal-Ribas P, Govender T, Yu J, Livinski AA, Haynie DL, Gilman SE. The developmental origins of suicide mortality: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-02092-6 (2024)
Learn more about the Division of Population Health Research (DiPHR): https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/dir/dph.
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