Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth Seeking Mental Health Treatment in Texas: Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network Research Registry

Youth suicidality is a public health crisis. The Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN) was established to, among other things, assess the prevalence and severity of youth Suicidality in the state of Texas. This report characterizes the baseline prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts within the TX-YDSRN sample. Nearly 90% of the sample reported suicidal ideation, and nearly half (48.2%) had at least one lifetime suicide attempt. Youth with ideation or attempts were more depressed and anxious and were less resilient than non-suicidal youth. Additionally, they experienced more traumatic events, were more likely to use recreational drugs, participated in fewer social activities, and displayed poorer peer relationships and school adjustment than their non-attempting counterparts. This report should allow researchers to better understand the relationship of suicidality with a variety of behavioral and physical health outcomes in Texas youth.