Vulnerability and resiliency to suicidal behaviours in young people.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to examine factors that influence vulnerability/resiliency of depressed young people to suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.


METHODS
Data were gathered during a 21-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 1,265 New Zealand young people. Measures included: suicide attempt; suicidal ideation; major depression; childhood, family, individual and peer factors.


RESULTS
Young people who developed major depression had increased rates of suicidal ideation (OR = 54: 95% CI 4.5-6.6) and suicide attempt (OR = 12.1; 95% CI 7.9-18.5). However, the majority of depressed young people did not develop suicidal ideation or make suicide attempts, suggesting that additional factors influence vulnerability or resiliency to suicidal responses. Factors influencing resiliency/vulnerability to suicidal responses included: family history of suicide; childhood sexual abuse; neuroticism; novelty seeking; self-esteem; peer affiliations; and school achievement. These factors operated in the same way to influence vulnerability/resiliency among those depressed and those not depressed.


CONCLUSIONS
Vulnerability/resiliency to suicidal responses among those depressed (and those not depressed) is influenced by an accumulation of factors including: family history of suicide, childhood sexual abuse, personality factors, peer affiliations and school success. Positive configurations of these factors confer increased resiliency, whereas negative configurations increase vulnerability.
Fergusson
D M
DM
Christchurch Health and Development Study and Canterbury Suicide Project, Christchurch School of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Beautrais
A L
AL
Horwood
L J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010379:Peer Group; D010551:Personality; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data