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Using Developmental Science to Identify Mechanisms and Reduce Adolescent Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

Thu, April 8, 11:35am to 1:05pm EDT (11:35am to 1:05pm EDT), Virtual

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

The rate of suicide among children and adolescents in the United States is rising (Kann et al., 2018). Innovative developmental research is needed to better understand the etiological risk and protective factors for youth suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). This symposium features work from a multi-disciplinary group of investigators at institutions across the United States. Together, the presentations will focus on innovative methods to studying the etiology and treatment of adolescent STBs and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).
The first presentation uses a large nationally representative sample of Black adolescents to study risk and protective factors for STBs across two unique developmental periods. The second study uses an innovative ecological momentary assessment (EMA) method to study the association between sleep problems and STBs among adolescents at high-risk for suicide. The third study examines brain activation patterns in response to emotion reactivity and regulation task among girls age 9-16 at increased risk for depression and suicide. Last, the fourth presentation reveals preliminary results (further results forthcoming) of an intervention study that examines executive functioning as a mechanism of change in reducing rumination and NSSI among adolescents.
Together this important set of papers provides the unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the multilevel developmental processes implicated in youth risk for suicide. Additional strengths include the focus on Black youth and the integration of innovative multimethod designs within the study of developmental mechanisms (e.g., actigraphy and fMRI).

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