Rates of Reporting Suicidal Ideation and Symptoms of Depression on Children’s Depression Inventory in a Paediatric Neurology Sample

Abstract

The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) is frequently used to screen for the symptoms of depression and suicidal thinking during psychological or neuropsychological evaluations. This includes assessment of children with neurological conditions who are at risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts due to general cognitive, psychiatric, and neurological deficits. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of suicidal thinking and symptoms of depression in youth with neurological disorders, as measured by the CDI. We expected that reporting suicidal ideations would most often occur in children with epilepsy and individuals with low IQ, and positively correlate with impulsivity. Participants included 313 paediatric neurology patients (mean age = 13.1 years, SD = 3.1, range = 7–17) who underwent neuropsychological assessments, including completion of the CDI. Clinically elevated levels of symptoms of depression were found in 10 % of children, with 18.8 % of the total sample endorsing suicidal ideation on the CDI. Suicidal ideation was most commonly endorsed by youth with epilepsy (22.8 %), children between ages 7 and 10 years (25.8 %), youth with intellectual disabilities (40 % for IQ below the 2nd and 70 % for IQ below 0.2nd percentiles), and girls with attention problems (67 %). Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with IQ, processing speed, executive functions, attention, parent-reported internalizing behaviours, and gender. Suicidal ideations were best predicted by low verbal intelligence, executive dysfunction, being female, and problems with inattention. Assessments of youth with neurological issues should include a psychological measure, particularly for patients with epilepsy and cognitive disabilities, even at a relatively early age.