95% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or good
Learn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.
Find out more
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1566098
This article is part of the Research Topic Youth Mental Health, Particularly in Asian Populations View all 66 articles
Positive Childhood Experiences Reduce Suicide Risk in Japanese Youth with ASD and ADHD Traits: A Population-based Study
Provisionally accepted- 1 Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
- 2 Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- 3 Saitama Gakuen University, Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan
Objective: This study investigated the combined influence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits, and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on suicide-related behaviors in a large, representative sample of Japanese adolescents and young adults. Additionally, it explored the role of PCEs in mitigating the risks associated with neurodivergent traits. Methods: Data were collected from 5,000 individuals aged 16-25 years using validated scales to measure ASD traits, ADHD traits, PCEs, and suicide-related behaviors, including suicidal ideation and attempts. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted in multiple steps to assess the influence of these variables. Interaction effects between PCEs and neurodivergent traits were examined to determine potential moderating effects. Results: ASD traits and ADHD traits were positively associated with suicidal ideation, with the highest risks observed among individuals with elevated levels of both traits. The inclusion of PCEs demonstrated a significant negative association with suicidal ideation, indicating that individuals with more PCEs reported lower levels of suicidal ideation. PCEs also reduced the strength of the associations of ASD traits (from β = 0.180 to β = 0.092) and ADHD traits (from β = 0.216 to β = 0.185) with suicidal ideation. Interaction analyses showed that the protective effect of PCEs on suicidal ideation was particularly pronounced among individuals with high levels of ADHD traits. Simple slope analyses demonstrated that higher levels of PCEs were significantly associated with reduced suicidal ideation for those with both low (β = -0.339, z = -18.61, p < 0.001) and high levels of ADHD traits (β = -0.475, z = -21.84, p < 0.001), with a stronger effect for the latter group. Conclusion: These findings highlight the cumulative and potentially compounding effects of ASD and ADHD traits on suicide risk while underscoring the critical protective role of PCEs. PCEs can mitigate emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, particularly in individuals with high levels of ADHD traits, thus reducing suicide-related behaviors. This study underscores the importance of fostering PCEs as part of targeted interventions to promote resilience and mental health in vulnerable populations.
Keywords: Positive childhood experiences, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder, Suicide-related behaviors, Youth mental health
Received: 24 Jan 2025; Accepted: 01 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Adachi, Takahashi and Mori. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Masaki Adachi, Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.