Some Common Characteristics of Latency‐Age Suicidal Children: A Tentative Model Based on Case Study Analyses

Abstract

Eleven latency-age (6 1/2 to 12 1/2) boys and girls who attempted or threatened suicide were investigated by means of the following information: intensive interviews, therapeutic meetings, direct observation in school, meetings with teachers, and survey of school records. The families of the children were also interviewed. In spite of the many differences between the children's personalities and backgrounds, some common dynamic features seemed to emerge: (a) There was a suicidal parent in the family, in most cases the mother; (b) Most of the families of these children were engaged in a major crisis, not necessarily centered around the suicidal child; (c) The children experienced demands by the parents to assume responsibilities which the children perceived as being beyond their capability; (d) There was a lack of satisfying relationships with adults; (e) Most children perceived death in a paradoxical way, believing that death was a need satisfying state yet fearing death; (f) The children showed strong positive strivings to say alive and were able to experience joy and happiness in spite of feelings of desperation and depression. A model based on the above multifaceted forces is presented. These forces consist of attractiveness of life, repulsiveness of life, attractiveness of death, and repulsiveness of death. Some of diagnostic and predictive uses of this model are elaborated.

Suicidality, hopelessness, and attitudes toward life and death in children

“…According to Orbach and colleagues (1981), AD and R D are key factors in suicidal behavior. Although they may appear to overlap, these dimensions are theoretically different and measurably distinct (Orbach, Gross, & Glaubman, 1981). Suicidal children have low AL, high R L , high AD, and low RD.…”

“…To replicate and expand the Orbach, Gross, and Glaubman (1981) model of suicidal behauior in children, 60 children, aces 6 to 13, reported their own suicidal thoughts and behaviors using the Suicidal Behauiors Questionnaire (Linehan, 1981 In response to the growing concern about youth suicide, Orbach, Gross, and Glaubman (1981) have proposed a model of children's suicidal behavior having four dimensions: attractiveness and repulsiveness of life and attractiveness and repulsiveness of death. Each has motivational, cognitive, and emotional components.…”

“…Suicidal Tendencies Test (Orbach, Gross, & Glaubman (1981) is a set of four fairy tales that deal with AL, AD, RL, or R D (one dimension per story), in which animal heroes can transform from, or into, inanimate objects. For example, AL is similar to the Pinocchi0 story.…”

Examining suicide from a life span perspective

“…Many studies have shown that suicidal children are more likely than others to be victims of child abuse and neglect (22,38,39,(54)(55)(56). In addition, parental conflict, unclear role definitions, and inflexible structure often characterize the families of suicidal children (47,57,58). Several studies and clinical observations show that suicidal children have many negative experiences at school as well as at home.…”

A Model of Suicidal Behavior In Latency Age Children Based on Developmental Object Relations Theory

“…Considerations of suicide require a means to overcome the fear of annihilation; a belief in the reversibility of death provides the means for some children, in spite of their comprehension of the irreversibility of impersonal death. Orbach et al ( 1978Orbach et al ( , 1979aOrbach et al ( , 1979bOrbach et al ( , 1981Orbach et al ( , 1983Orbach et al ( , 1984 consider suicidal children's belief in the reversibility of death to constitute part of a defensive process which allows suicidal action to occur. The defensive process involves a cognitive distortion in the comprehension of the finality of personal death.…”