Suicide risk and protective factors in low-income Black preteens
Investigating Suicide Risk and Protective Factors among Economically Disadvantaged, Preteen Black Youth
Researchers will follow low-income Black children around ages 10–12 to learn what makes thoughts and behaviors related to suicide more or less likely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193500 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This four-year project follows a group of economically disadvantaged, urban Black children who were enrolled in an earlier school-based prevention trial and will be about 10–12 years old in fall 2024. The team will track thoughts and behaviors related to suicide over time and look at individual and social factors that appear to increase or reduce risk. Data will come from repeated assessments of the children (and likely caregivers/schools) and build on existing information from 48 participating elementary schools. The goal is to map how these patterns emerge during pre- and early adolescence in this understudied group.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Black children from economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods who are around 10–12 years old and connected to the participating elementary schools.
Not a fit: Children who are not Black, not in the specified age range, not from similar low-income urban settings, or who need immediate clinical crisis care are unlikely to directly benefit from this research participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better, culturally relevant ways to prevent suicide among low-income Black preteens.
How similar studies have performed: Most prior studies on preadolescent suicide used predominantly White samples or short-term designs, so this long-term focus on low-income Black youth is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ialongo, Nicholas S — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Ialongo, Nicholas S
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 below.