TY - JOUR
AU - L. Hennefield
AU - E. G. Denton
AU - P. G. Chen
AU - A. H. Sheftall
AU - L. Ayer
A1 - 
AB - We are in a youth mental health crisis with unprecedented and staggeringly high rates of suicidal ideations and suicide behaviors in preteens. In the United States, 14.5% of children aged 9-10 have experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors, including 1.3% with a suicide attempt. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines call for universal suicide risk screening of youth aged 12 years and older during preventative health care visits and screening in preteens aged 8-11 years when clinically indicated. However, what constitutes a clinical indication at 8-11 years can be difficult to systematically detect, and pediatric practitioners may not be equipped with necessary age-specific assessment tools. This is compounded by the lack of emphasis on preteen suicide risk screening (and focus on adolescents), which leaves practitioners without age-appropriate resources to make clinical determinations for at-risk preteens. The objective of this project was to develop an evidence-informed suicide risk screening pathway for pediatric practitioners to implement with preteen patients in outpatient settings. Suicide risk assessment in younger children (<8 years) is also briefly addressed. We convened a group of researchers and practitioners with expertise in preadolescent suicide, pediatric medicine, behavioral health screening integration with primary care, and child development. They reviewed the empirical literature and existing practice guidelines to iterate on a multi-informant clinical suicide risk screening pathway for preteens that includes both caregivers and preteens in the screening process. We also developed tools and accompanying guidelines for a preteen suicide risk screening workflow and risk determination to aid practitioners in deciding who, when, and how to screen. Finally, we provide scripts for introducing suicide risk screening to caregivers and preteens and to discuss screening findings.
AD - Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO. Electronic address: lhennefield@wustl.edu.; School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY.; RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA.
AN - 38908827
BT - J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
CP - 6
DA - Nov-Dec
DO - 10.1016/j.jaclp.2024.06.003
DP - NLM
ET - 20240621
IS - 6
JF - J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry
LA - eng
N2 - We are in a youth mental health crisis with unprecedented and staggeringly high rates of suicidal ideations and suicide behaviors in preteens. In the United States, 14.5% of children aged 9-10 have experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors, including 1.3% with a suicide attempt. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines call for universal suicide risk screening of youth aged 12 years and older during preventative health care visits and screening in preteens aged 8-11 years when clinically indicated. However, what constitutes a clinical indication at 8-11 years can be difficult to systematically detect, and pediatric practitioners may not be equipped with necessary age-specific assessment tools. This is compounded by the lack of emphasis on preteen suicide risk screening (and focus on adolescents), which leaves practitioners without age-appropriate resources to make clinical determinations for at-risk preteens. The objective of this project was to develop an evidence-informed suicide risk screening pathway for pediatric practitioners to implement with preteen patients in outpatient settings. Suicide risk assessment in younger children (<8 years) is also briefly addressed. We convened a group of researchers and practitioners with expertise in preadolescent suicide, pediatric medicine, behavioral health screening integration with primary care, and child development. They reviewed the empirical literature and existing practice guidelines to iterate on a multi-informant clinical suicide risk screening pathway for preteens that includes both caregivers and preteens in the screening process. We also developed tools and accompanying guidelines for a preteen suicide risk screening workflow and risk determination to aid practitioners in deciding who, when, and how to screen. Finally, we provide scripts for introducing suicide risk screening to caregivers and preteens and to discuss screening findings.
PY - 2024
SN - 2667-2979 (Print); 2667-2960
SP - 551
EP - 561+
ST - Preteen Suicide Risk Screening in the Pediatric Outpatient Setting: A Clinical Pathway
T1 - Preteen Suicide Risk Screening in the Pediatric Outpatient Setting: A Clinical Pathway
T2 - J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry
TI - Preteen Suicide Risk Screening in the Pediatric Outpatient Setting: A Clinical Pathway
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1016/j.jaclp.2024.06.003
VL - 65
VO - 2667-2979 (Print); 2667-2960
Y1 - 2024
ER -