Understanding childhood suicide thoughts to improve risk assessment
Official title: A mixed-methods, multi-informant study of childhood suicide ideation to improve risk assessment
Funded at Hunter College · NIH-11179277 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for ways to better understand and talk about suicidal thoughts in kids aged 8-12 by listening to both the children and their caregivers, using creative methods to capture their feelings and experiences, so we can help keep them safe and supported.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $601,523 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH137702-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179277 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 8-12 who have recently experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts, along with their caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not fall within the age range of 8-12 years or who have not experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to better assess suicide ideation in children by integrating reports from both children and their caregivers. It aims to develop culturally informed measures that can capture the nuances of children's distress and suicidal thoughts. The study will involve a diverse group of children aged 8-12 who have experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts, along with their caregivers, and will utilize innovative methods like body mapping to enhance understanding of their experiences. By focusing on both verbal and non-verbal expressions of distress, the research seeks to improve the prediction of suicide risk in ethnoracially diverse populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved risk assessment tools that better identify children at risk for suicide, ultimately saving lives.
How similar studies have gone: While there is limited research specifically on childhood suicide ideation using this mixed-methods approach, similar studies have shown promise in improving risk assessment in other populations.
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
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Childhood suicide risk: understanding feelings and caregiver perspectives
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.
-
How loneliness and feeling cut off relate to suicidal thoughts in older adults
Researchers will follow people aged 65 and older for a year with frequent reports and behavioral measures to track how social disconnection and sensitivity to rejection relate to suicidal thoughts.
-
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This study is looking at how feeling lonely or rejected might affect thoughts about suicide in older adults, and it aims to understand how social connections and emotions change over time to help identify those at risk.
-
How social connections can help prevent suicide thoughts in young women who love women
This study is looking at why young women who love other women might think about suicide more than their straight friends, and it wants to find out how having strong friendships and a positive sense of self can help keep them safe, especially during big life changes like starting high school or college.
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Understanding why some adolescents continue to have thoughts of suicide.
This study is looking at what helps or hinders young people in rural areas, aged 14 to 18, who have had thoughts about suicide, so we can better understand how to support them and prevent these feelings from sticking around.
-
Identifying neighborhood factors that influence youth suicide risk
This study is looking at how things in your neighborhood might influence young people's thoughts about suicide, and it aims to find ways to make communities safer for kids and teens.
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.