The effect of parent-adolescent discrepancies in reports of familial dysfunction and depression on suicidal ideation in adolescents.

Introduction: Parents and adolescents are often discrepant in their reports of adolescent psychosocial factors. Few studies have addressed parent-adolescent discrepancies in subjective ratings of familial dysfunction and depression as longitudinal predictor variables, and none have done so in a treatment setting for adolescents with acute suicidality. This study examined how parent-adolescent discrepancies in familial dysfunction and depression impact adolescent treatment response in an intensive outpatient program for suicidality.

Methods: Adolescents (N = 315) were assessed at treatment entry and exit for familial dysfunction, depression, and suicidal ideation. Parents received parallel assessments of familial dysfunction and adolescent depression at each time point. A polynomial regression was conducted to determine whether parent-adolescent discrepancies in reports of familial dysfunction and depression at entry related to the treatment outcome of adolescent-reported depression and suicide ideation at exit.

Results: Significant discrepancies were present with on average adolescents reporting more depression and familial dysfunction than parents. Entry discrepancy in familial dysfunction (but not depression) predicted suicide ideation at exit.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that parent-adolescent discrepancies in perception of familial dysfunction is a risk factor for poor outcomes in suicidal youth and might be a fruitful target in treatment programs.