Childhood suicide risk: understanding feelings and caregiver perspectives
Official title: A mixed-methods, multi-informant study of childhood suicide ideation to improve risk assessment
Funded at Hunter College · NIH-11359696 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-informant study with children aged 8-12 and their caregivers to better predict how childhood thoughts of suicide and distress develop and signal risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hunter College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $605,596 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH137702-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11359696 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 8-12 with recent suicide ideation or attempts and their caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the 8-12 age range or without recent SI/SA may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will recruit 150 children aged 8-12 who have recently shown suicide ideation or attempts, along with their caregivers, from emergency departments in New York City and Austin. Using mixed methods, researchers will compare child self-reports and caregiver observations to identify subtypes of SI and how distress expressions relate to risk, including body mapping as a culturally-informed tool. In partnership with a Community Advisory Board, the study will analyze data to improve prediction of SI severity and suicide attempts across ethnoracial groups. Findings aim to inform more accurate, developmentally appropriate risk assessments and guide future interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to better tools for clinicians to identify at-risk children and tailor support for families.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that caregiver and child reports can differ and that culturally informed tools may improve risk prediction.
Where this research is happening
-
Hunter College
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miranda, Regina — Hunter College
- Study coordinator: Miranda, Regina
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.