Tan Grace Kuen Yee, Connor Sophia G, Quinn Sunee, Fitzpatrick James, Adams Isabelle, Pestell Carmela F
School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2025 May;49(5):1149-1160. doi: 10.1111/acer.70039. Epub 2025 Mar 19.
Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are at an elevated suicide risk compared with those in the general population. This public health issue warrants further research attention to help inform the development of prevention and intervention efforts. Our study is the first to characterize suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation/suicide attempt) and explore associated risk factors in young individuals with FASD within the Australian context.
Retrospective file reviews from a diagnostic clinic in Western Australia obtained data on demographic variables and risk factors, including psychosocial stressors (i.e., child protection and justice system involvement, history of abuse/neglect) and comorbid diagnoses (i.e., attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attachment disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, substance use disorder, and sleep disorder). Data on suicidality were collected via formal suicide risk assessments and source documentation.
One hundred and ninety-five participants diagnosed with FASD were included in the study (M = 11.75 years, range = 5-21 years). Of these, 40 (21%) reported suicidality, with the youngest being 5 years old. There was a significant positive correlation between suicidality and age. A greater proportion of individuals with FASD who had been involved with the justice system (n = 30, 35%) reported suicidality. Participants with attachment disorder (n = 19, 34%), conduct disorder (n = 10, 40%), substance use disorder (n = 14, 50%), and depression (n = 12, 60%) had significantly higher rates of suicidality than individuals without these comorbidities. The risk of suicidality increased in participants with comorbid depression (OR = 4.20) after controlling for age as a covariate.
These findings add to the growing body of evidence that highlights the vulnerability of individuals with FASD to suicidality compared with the general population, underscoring the need for targeted, culturally safe suicide intervention/prevention efforts.
与普通人群相比，患有胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）的个体自杀风险更高。这一公共卫生问题值得进一步的研究关注，以帮助为预防和干预措施的制定提供信息。我们的研究首次对澳大利亚背景下患有FASD的年轻人的自杀倾向（即自杀意念/自杀未遂）进行了特征描述，并探索了相关风险因素。
对西澳大利亚一家诊断诊所的病历进行回顾性审查，获取了人口统计学变量和风险因素的数据，包括心理社会压力源（即儿童保护和司法系统介入、虐待/忽视史）和共病诊断（即注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）、依恋障碍、品行障碍、焦虑症、抑郁症、物质使用障碍和睡眠障碍）。通过正式的自杀风险评估和原始文件收集自杀倾向的数据。
195名被诊断患有FASD的参与者纳入了研究（平均年龄=11.75岁，范围=5-21岁）。其中，40人（21%）报告有自杀倾向，最年轻的为5岁。自杀倾向与年龄之间存在显著正相关。涉及司法系统的FASD个体中，报告有自杀倾向的比例更高（n=30，35%）。患有依恋障碍（n=19，34%）、品行障碍（n=10，40%）、物质使用障碍（n=14，50%）和抑郁症（n=12，60%）的参与者自杀倾向发生率显著高于无这些共病的个体。在将年龄作为协变量进行控制后，患有共病抑郁症的参与者自杀倾向风险增加（比值比=4.20）。
这些发现进一步证明，与普通人群相比，患有FASD的个体更容易出现自杀倾向，强调了有针对性的、文化上安全的自杀干预/预防措施的必要性。
