PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Suicide risk elevated among young adults with disabilities

FAU research calls for urgent reforms in prevention, screening and intervention

2025-06-17
(Press-News.org) Suicide remains one of the most pressing public health crises affecting young adults today, with devastating consequences. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 18 to 25, with a 51% increase in suicide deaths between 2000 and 2021.

While this trend is deeply concerning for the general population, it is even more alarming for young adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) – a group long overlooked in suicide prevention efforts.

Research by Florida Atlantic University and collaborators, published in the journal Current Psychology, sheds light on the growing concern of suicidality among young adults with IDD and the significant gaps in existing public health responses. Researchers conducted an extensive review of the literature to explore the elevated risk factors, theoretical frameworks, and practical prevention strategies urgently needed to address suicide in this vulnerable population.

“For too long, there has been a misconception that individuals with IDD are somehow protected from suicidality due to perceived cognitive limitations,” said Alexander M. Fields, Ph.D., senior author and an assistant professor of counselor education within FAU’s College of Education. “However, emerging data clearly shows that young adults with IDD may actually face heightened suicide risk due to social isolation, abuse, trauma and limited access to appropriate care and education.”

The researchers identify multiple contributing factors that may elevate suicide risk for individuals with IDD, including:

Lack of access to education or employment opportunities High rates of trauma, abuse and bullying Increased dependence on caregivers Impulsivity and emotional dysregulation Social exclusion and stigma A key barrier to effective prevention is diagnostic overshadowing, where symptoms of mental health disorders are misattributed to a person’s disability, leading to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of suicidal ideation. Moreover, standard suicide screening tools are often developmentally inappropriate for individuals with IDD, further compounding the issue.

To bridge this critical gap, the research draws upon two theoretical models – the Behavioral Pathway Model (BPM) and the Suicidal Barometer Model (SBM) – to propose a more inclusive approach to assessing and managing suicide risk in this population. These models were illustrated using a fictional case study of “Anthony,” a 21-year-old with autism and mild intellectual disability, demonstrating how structured frameworks can guide real-world prevention strategies.

“Our goal is to equip caregivers and helping professionals with practical tools and knowledge to identify warning signs, conduct effective assessments and implement targeted interventions,” said Fields. “This includes training on communication strategies, appropriate use of adapted assessment tools, and recognizing that signs of suicidality may present differently in people with more severe disabilities.”

The researchers also discuss policy and public health recommendations for supporting young adults with IDD, including:

Training health care providers on IDD-specific suicide risk factors Developing and validating screening tools sensitive to cognitive and communicative differences Ensuring crisis hotlines and emergency services are accessible and tailored to individuals with IDD Establishing community-based support networks to reduce stigma and isolation Funding additional research to develop inclusive and evidence-based interventions This call to action is particularly urgent as mental health service access continues to lag for the IDD population, even as suicide risk rises. The researchers advocate for increased investment in both clinical and public health infrastructure to support long-term prevention efforts.

“Effective suicide prevention for young adults with IDD demands more than adapting existing models – it requires a wholesale reimagining of how we assess, support and protect these individuals,” said Fields. “From school-based interventions to health care provider training, every level of the system needs to be part of the solution.”

This research marks a significant step forward in suicide prevention research by prioritizing the needs of individuals who are too often left out of the conversation. With continued attention, collaboration and innovation, the researchers believe it is possible to turn the tide and build a more inclusive mental health support system.

Study co-authors are Olivia J. Lewis, Ph.D., Oregon State University; Rebecca B. Smith-Hill, Ph.D., University of South Carolina; Megan Reynolds, Ph.D., Viriginia Commonwealth University; Rachel Gilreath, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh; and Madeline Castle, Ph.D., Mississippi State University.

- FAU -

About the College of Education:

In 1964, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education became South Florida’s first provider of education professionals. Dedicated to advancing research and educational excellence, the College is nationally recognized for its innovative programs, evidence-based training, and professional practice. The College spans five departments: Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Special Education, Counselor Education, and Communication Sciences and Disorders, to prepare highly skilled teachers, school leaders, counselors, and speech pathologists. Faculty engage in cutting-edge research supported by prestigious organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the State of Florida.

 

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, Florida Atlantic serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the Southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, Florida Atlantic embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. Florida Atlantic is designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report, and holds the designation of “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Florida Atlantic shares this status with less than 5% of the nearly 4,000 universities in the United States. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

 

 

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Safeguarding Mendelian randomization: editorial urges rethink in methodological rigor

2025-06-17
In recent years, Mendelian randomisation (MR) has revolutionised observational epidemiology by offering a tool to infer causal relationships using genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs). However, its popularity has come at a cost. The editorial by Chen, Guillot, and Schneider in eGastroenterology (2025) titled "Attention to the misuse of Mendelian randomisation in medical research" delivers a timely critique of the field's current trajectory. As MR studies surge, so too do concerns about their quality and interpretive validity. The authors call for stricter methodological scrutiny and offer practical recommendations ...

Using AI to find persuasive public health messages and automate real-time campaigns

2025-06-17
AI can help public health agencies in the quest to end HIV. The United States is pursuing an initiative to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. To achieve this goal, public health agencies and organizations must remind the public about how best to avoid transmitting and acquiring the virus. Public health campaigns are costly, their effectiveness is seldom systematically assessed, and no systematic methods have been developed to build health campaigns in real-time. Dolores Albarracin and colleagues collected public health messages about HIV prevention and testing from US federal agencies, non-profit organizations, ...

Gene therapy for glaucoma

2025-06-17
Gene editing could be used to treat millions of glaucoma patients. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, characterized by high pressure inside the eye. Patients often rely on daily eye drops to lower intraocular pressure, but the drops may cause significant complications including bradycardia, metabolic acidosis, and kidney stones. In addition, many patients fail to keep up with the eye drops. Yang Sun and colleagues used the CRISPR gene editing technique to knock down two genes associated with the production ...

Teaching robots to build without blueprints

2025-06-17
Bees, ants and termites don’t need blueprints. They may have queens, but none of these species breed architects or construction managers. Each insect worker, or drone, simply responds to cues like warmth or the presence or absence of building material. Unlike human manufacturing, the grand design emerges simply from the collective action of the drones — no central planning required. Now, researchers at Penn Engineering have developed mathematical rules that allow virtual swarms of tiny robots to do the same. In computer simulations, the robots built honeycomb-like structures without ever following — or even being able to comprehend — ...

Negative perception of scientists working on AI

2025-06-17
A public survey indicates that Americans have negative opinions of scientists who work on AI. Dror Walter and colleagues collected opinions about scientists from thousands of US adults via the Annenberg Science and Public Health survey and compared the perceived credibility, prudence, unbiasedness, self-correction, and benefit of scientists working on AI with those of scientists in general and climate scientists in particular. Previous work has established that high scores on these dimensions predict support for science ...

How disrupted daily rhythms can affect adolescent brain development

2025-06-17
A new McGill University-led study suggests that disrupting the body’s internal clock during adolescence can alter how the brain responds to an in-utero risk factor linked to certain brain disorders. Previous research has shown that a mother’s infection during pregnancy, such as the flu, can increase a child’s risk of developing conditions like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders later in life. Irregular sleep patterns – often a sign of circadian rhythm disruption – are also associated with these conditions. To investigate how these factors interact, researchers exposed mice to either a ...

New use for old drug: study finds potential of heart drug for treating growth disorders

2025-06-17
Bone growth occurs through the proliferation of specialized cells of the cartilage tissue, known as chondrocytes, on either end of a bone. This process requires the synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the bone growth plates. A peptide hormone, known as C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), plays a pivotal role by binding to its specific receptors present on the chondrocytes and triggering a signaling cascade in these cells. The CNP-bound receptor activates a molecule, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which in turn activates ...

Head-to-head study shows bariatric surgery superior to GLP-1 drugs for weight loss

2025-06-17
WASHINGTON, DC – June 17, 2025 – Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass were associated with about five-times more weight loss than weekly injections of GLP-1 receptor agonists semaglutide or tirzepatide,* at the end of two years, according to a new head-to-head real-world study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Researchers from NYU Langone Health and NYC Health + Hospitals discovered patients who had one of the bariatric procedures lost an average 58 pounds after two years compared to 12 pounds ...

Psychiatric disorders less likely after weight-loss surgery than treatment with GLP-1s

2025-06-17
WASHINGTON, DC – June 17, 2025 – People who have metabolic and bariatric surgery are significantly less likely to develop psychiatric disorders compared to those who take weekly injections of GLP-1 anti-obesity medications, according to a new study* presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Over a five-year period, the risk of developing cognitive deficits was 54% lower and 18% and 17% lower for anxiety disorders and substance use ...

The higher the body mass index, the higher the risk for complications after bariatric surgery

2025-06-17
WASHINGTON, DC – June 17, 2025 – The higher a person’s body mass index (BMI), the higher their risk for complications after bariatric surgery, especially those with BMI of 50 or more, according to a new study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Researchers found that the rate of complications increased by an average of 5.56% and serious occurrences rose 3.21% from the lowest BMI category to the highest, with people with a BMI 50 or more the most likely to experience complications of any kind.   The study gives new insights into the risks associated ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New CZI AI model could help scientists pinpoint signs of cancer cells

Sugar-coated ‘sticky’ stem cells could unlock surgery-free liver treatments

Children’s social media activity highlights emotional stress of living with long-term health issues

New tool maps hidden roles and risks in ecosystems

New breakthrough method to protect quantum spins from noise

Chemicals from turmeric and rhubarb could help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria lurking in wastewater

Instant cancer diagnosis with light and AI!

New electroenzymatic strategy enables non-natural oxidation reactions

Tunable laser light

Scientists uncover magnetic-field control of ultrafast spin dynamics in 2D ferromagnets

New AI-powered model accurately predicts lung motion with minimal radiation

AI language models show promise in predicting liver cancer treatment outcomes

Tracking insect and bug health in a heartbeat from a digital camera

'Talking fish' not heard by conservation policies, SFU study warns

Thirty years of research shows increased resistance in fungi

Junk food ‘avoids advertising regulation’ with top level UK sports sponsorship

Banking on AI while committed to net zero is ‘magical thinking’, claims report on energy costs of big tech

Ancient river systems reveal Mars was wetter than we thought

Online toolkit to help parents of autistic children improve dental health

The psychological and neurological parallels between sports fandom and religious devotion

Agricultural liming in the US is a large CO2 sink, say researchers

Seaside more likely to make us nostalgic than green places, study finds

Psilocybin delays aging, extends lifespan, Emory study suggests

Buck Institute awarded DARPA contract to pioneer next-gen AI modeling platform

Orange is the new aphrodisiac—for guppies

Murals boost Cincinnati’s vitality, community development

Ad blockers may be showing users more problematic ads, NYU Tandon study finds

Verbal response time reveals hidden sleepiness in older adults

University of Maryland School of Medicine launches groundbreaking study on THC/CBD therapy for dementia-related agitation at end of life

Targeting stem-property and vasculogenic mimicry for sensitizing paclitaxel therapy of triple-negative breast cancer by biomimetic codelivery

[Press-News.org] Suicide risk elevated among young adults with disabilities
FAU research calls for urgent reforms in prevention, screening and intervention