10 years old (Rich, 1991, pp. 289 309). As a consequence of the relative newness of the research area, the findings with respect to the linkages between suicidal behavior in children and hopelessness, depression, and a loss of self esteem are not definitive, and the findings of different studies often conflict with one another.
The suicide rate and the frequency of suicide attempts for children between the ages of eight and 13 years (inclusive) are quite low in the United States (Bureau of the Census, 1991, p. 111). The frequency of suicide ideation among individuals in this age group, however, is substantially higher. The suicide rate for the 15 19 year old age group is 10.2 persons per 100 thousand population 18.2 for white males, the highest in this age group, and 2.1 for black females, the lowest in this age group (Bureau of the Census, 1991, p. 111). For all age groups, the suicide rate in the United States is 12.8 persons per 100,000 thousand population (Bureau of the Census, 1991, p. 111).
For white males, the suicide rate increases from childhood through age 24, after which it decreases through age 54, when it begins to increase once again. The suicide rate for black males increases from childhood through age 34, after which it decreases through age 64, when it begins to increase once again. For white females, the suicide rate increases from childhood through age 54, after which it decreases through age 74, when it begins another increase through age 84, after which it declines through all successive ages. The rate for black females increases from childhood through age 34, after which it decreases through age 44, when it begins to increase once again and continues to increase through age 64, when the rate again begins a decline which continues through all successive ages.
In numbers of deaths, as opposed to rates per 100 thousand population, somewhat less than 3,000 persons in the 15 19 age group ...