Risk factors for adolescent suicide. A comparison of adolescent suicide victims with suicidal inpatients.
The characteristics of adolescent suicide victims (n = 27) were compared with those of a group at high risk for suicide, suicidal psychiatric inpatients (n = 56) who had either seriously considered (n = 18) or actually attempted (n = 38) suicide. The suicide victims and suicidal inpatients showed similarly high rates of affective disorder and family histories of affective disorder, antisocial disorder, and suicide, suggesting that among adolescents there is a continuum of suicidality from ideation to completion. However, four putative risk factors were more prevalent among the suicide victims: (1) diagnosis of bipolar disorder; (2) affective disorder with comorbidity; (3) lack of previous mental health treatment; and (4) availability of firearms in the homes, which taken together accurately classified 81.9% of cases. In addition, suicide completers showed higher suicidal intent than did suicide attempters. These findings suggest a profile of psychiatric patients at high risk for suicide, and the proper identification and treatment of such patients may prevent suicide in high-risk clinical populations.
Brent
D A
DA
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
Perper
J A
JA
Goldstein
C E
CE
Kolko
D J
DJ
Allan
M J
MJ
Allman
C J
CJ
Zelenak
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology