Caregiver-reported precursors of suicide-related behavior in individuals with intellectual disability: an exploratory qualitative study

Purpose Research on suicide among individuals with intellectual disability (ID) remains underresearched. Given that individuals with ID exhibit suicide risk levels comparable to those of the general population, further investigation is warranted. The purpose of this research was to identify precursors in this population to inform suicide prevention and intervention efforts. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was administered to caregivers who worked in welfare facilities and had encountered suicidal behavior among individuals with ID. Participants were recruited through welfare facility networks in Japan and an online survey platform and were asked to report observable behavioral/verbal precursors of suicidal behavior. Data were analyzed using the KJ method, a qualitative analysis approach. Findings A total of 76 responses were included in the analysis. The findings indicated that typical indicators observed in the general population, such as depression and death-related utterances, were also present in individuals with ID. In addition, the emergence or escalation of challenging behaviors prior to a period of heightened risk may represent precursors of suicide in this population. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to investigate precursors of suicide among individuals with ID. The findings may help caregivers recognize potential suicide crises and may inform future suicide prevention and assessment efforts in this population.