Age at menarche and onset of suicide ideation among high-risk girls

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between age at menarche and onset of suicide ideation (SI) in a clinical sample of adolescents, describing their sequential order, latency, and relationship. Information on physiological markers that signal heightened suicide risk may facilitate the identification of high-risk girls. findings point towards early menarche as a critical time for the development of SI, with most girls starting to think about suicide within two years of menarche. The maturation disparity hypothesis suggests that girls who mature earlier are at higher risk for psychopathology, because they have less time to acquire the cognitive and emotional skills necessary to navigate the expectations and experiences associated with sexual maturity. Additionally, hormonal fluctuations starting around menarche have been linked to increases in negative affect and depressive symptoms, which could place girls at higher suicide risk. Finally, exposure to early adversity may accelerate the brain and body's maturation, which may account for both the early onset of menarche and SI. A substantial percentage of our sample had SI onset before menarche, which could reflect a genetic predisposition to onset of suicidal behavior in childhood. The study is limited by retrospective report of SI and menarche onset. Most measures included in the larger study assessed current state, which, for most girls, did not coincide with either the onset of SI or menarche. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)