Objective: To determine whether youth in Alberta who had completed suicide
were more likely to be younger than their classmates on entering grade 1 (t
hat is, showed a relative age effect).
Method: Records were obtained for all deaths by suicide by individuals unde
r the age of 20 years in Alberta during the years 1979-1992. The relative a
ge of each of these persons was determined by comparing his or her month of
birth to the birth months of the appropriate school-grade cohort.
Results: A disproportionate number of the subjects were born in the second
half of the "school eligibility year," indicating a higher probability that
those who completed suicide were younger than their classmates.
Conclusions: Previous research indicates that relative age is strongly rela
ted to school performance and success in sports. The present study, demonst
rates that the relative age effect is also a factor in youth suicide. It is
suggested that the higher incidence of youth suicide in the soup of relati
vely younger school children may have resulted fi om poorer school performa
nce, which in turn led to lowered confidence and self esteem. Past research
suggests that these conditions may predispose children to hopelessness and
depression, which are often thought to be essential components of suicide.
Research aimed at neutralizing the negative effects of relative age should
have important personal and social consequences.