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Parental suicide attempt and offspring educational attainment during adolescence in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2016

G. Geulayov ,
C. Metcalfe  and
D. Gunnell
G. Geulayov*
Affiliation:
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
C. Metcalfe
Affiliation:
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
D. Gunnell
Affiliation:
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: G. Geulayov, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Suicide Research, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Few studies have investigated the impact of parental suicide attempt (SA) on offspring outcomes other than mental health. We investigated the association of parental SA with offspring educational attainment in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

Method

Parental SA was prospectively recorded from pregnancy until the study children were 11 years old. National school test results (ages 11–16 years) were obtained by record linkage. Multilevel regression models quantified the association between parental SA and offspring outcomes.

Results

Data were available for 6667 mother–child and 3054 father–child pairs. Adolescents whose mothers had attempted suicide were less likely than their peers to achieve the expected educational level by age 14 years [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.95] in models controlling for relevant confounders, including parental education and depression. At age 16 years, adolescents whose mothers had attempted suicide were less likely to obtain the expected educational level (five or more qualifications at grade A*–C) (aOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43–1.00) in models controlling for relevant confounders and parental education; however, after additionally controlling for maternal depression the results were consistent with chance (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.48–1.13). Findings in relation to paternal SA were consistent with those of maternal SA but power was limited due to lower response rate amongst fathers.

Conclusions

Maternal SA was associated with diminished educational performance at age 14 years. Educational attainment during adolescence can have substantial effect on future opportunities and well-being and these offspring may benefit from interventions.

Keywords

Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Childrenbirth cohortschild academic performancelongitudinal studiesparental self-harm
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 46 , Issue 10 , July 2016 , pp. 2097 - 2107
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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