The impact of two universal randomized first- and second-grade classroom interventions on young adult suicide ideation and attempts.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
This paper reports the impact of two first- and second-grade classroom based universal preventive interventions on the risk of Suicide Ideation (SI) and Suicide Attempts (SA) by young adulthood. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) was directed at socializing children for the student role and reducing aggressive, disruptive behavior. Mastery Learning (ML) was aimed at improving academic achievement. Both were implemented by the teacher.

METHODS:
The design was epidemiologically based, with randomization at the school and classroom levels and balancing of children across classrooms. The trial involved a cohort of first-grade children in 19 schools and 41 classrooms with intervention at first and second grades. A replication was implemented with the next cohort of first grade children with the same teachers but with little mentoring or monitoring.

RESULTS:
In the first cohort, there was consistent and robust GBG-associated reduction of risk for suicide ideation by age 19-21 years compared to youths in standard setting (control) classrooms regardless of any type of covariate adjustment. A GBG-associated reduced risk for suicide attempt was found, though in some covariate-adjusted models the effect was not statistically robust. No statistically significant impact on these outcomes was found for ML. The impact of the GBG on suicide ideation and attempts was greatly reduced in the replication trial involving the second cohort.

CONCLUSIONS:
A universal preventive intervention directed at socializing children and classroom behavior management to reduce aggressive, disruptive behavior may delay or prevent onset of suicide ideation and attempts. The GBG must be implemented with precision and continuing support of teachers.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Wilcox, Holly C (HC); Kellam, Sheppard G (SG); Brown, C Hendricks (CH); Poduska, Jeanne M (JM); Ialongo, Nicholas S (NS); Wang, Wei (W); Anthony, James C (JC);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street/CMSC 346, Baltimore, MD 21287, United States. hwilcox1(-atsign-)jhmi.edu

Grants: P50 MH38725 (Agency:United States NIMH) ; R01 DA004392 (Agency:United States NIDA) ; R01 DA09897 (Agency:United States NIDA) ; R01 MH40859 (Agency:United States NIMH) ; R01 MH42968 (Agency:United States NIMH) ; T32 MH018834 (Agency:United States NIMH)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Drug and alcohol dependence (Drug Alcohol Depend), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 95 Suppl 1 (issue ) : pp S60-73

Dates: Created 2008/04/21; Completed 2008/07/18;

PMID: 18329189, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement
Adolescent
Adult
Aggression - psychology
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - therapy
Baltimore
Behavior Therapy - methods
Child
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies

Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Risk
Schools
Socialization
Suicide, Attempted - prevention & control; statistics & numerical data
Urban Population

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.