Longitudinal Associations between Suicidality and Biopsychosocial Factors in Adolescence

• DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/jex8p
• Publication Date: 2024-09-24T16:52:30Z
• Authors: Maddison Crethar; Amanda Boyes; Paul Schwenn; Lia Mills; Taliah Prince; Kassie Bromley; Michelle Kennedy; Christina Driver; Daniel Hermens
• Keywords: Biopsychosocial model; Longitudinal Study

Importance: Adolescent suicidality poses a significant public health concern, with multifaceted determinants. Global prevalence rates of suicidal ideation in adolescence range between 15-25%; understanding the biopsychosocial context which develops is essential for assessment, prevention and treatment efforts. Objective: To determine whether model suicidality, specifically sleep, nutrition, physical exercise, mindfulness, social connectedness, lower socioeconomic status, sex are uniquely associated increased longitudinally over adolescence. Design: This study utilised self-reported data collected from same individuals at 4-monthly intervals, up to 5 years, 18 July 2018 - 31 January 2024 ongoing Longitudinal Brain Study (LABS). Setting: Data was on-site Thompson Institute, University Sunshine Coast, or remotely, participant’s home when it wasn’t possible attend in-person (for example during COVID lockdown). A trained researcher always present.Participants: The Australian adolescent volunteer sample included N=159 participants (n=91 female; 68 male) aged 12 15 years intake who were proficient English not suffering major neurological disorder, intellectual disability, sustained head injury. Main outcomes measures: Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale Adolescents, Social Connectedness Food Frequency Questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity, Kessler-10, Socio-Economic Indexes Areas Australia, age sex.Results: Generalised estimating equations adolescents 12-17-years identified relationships biological (odds ratio =1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.7, p = .35), poor sleep 2.7, 1.6-4.3, <.001), disadvantage (SES Quintile 1: odds 6.7, 1.9-24.5, .004; SES 2: 10.4, 2.6-40.9, <.001; 4: 3.0, 1.1-7.8, .025), higher psychological distress 5.9, 2.8-12.4, <.001).Conclusions relevance: research contributes our how factors can be incorporated into targeted interventions policies aimed reducing suicidality.