Children of religious parents are less likely to consider or attempt suicide, regardless of the children’s own self-reported religiosity, finds a study in JAMA Psychiatry. Researchers analyzed data from 214 children (ages 6 to 18) from 112 families that were participating in a long-term study of familial risk factors for depression. Children of religious parents were about 80 percent less likely to experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors than children of nonreligious parents. The finding held independent of other parental risk factors, including parental depression, divorce, and history of suicidal behavior. (Monitor on Psychology)

Susie Bean Gives