Distal risk factors for suicidal behavior in alcoholics: replications and new findings.
BACKGROUND
To examine distal risk factors for suicidal behavior in alcoholics.


METHODS
Two-hundred and eighty alcoholics were interviewed and completed the Childhood Trauma (CTQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaires (EPQ).


RESULTS
One-hundred and twenty-one of the two-hundred and eighty alcoholics had attempted suicide (42.9%). Significantly more of the attempters were female and had a family history of suicidal behavior. Alcoholics who had attempted were significantly younger and had significantly higher CTQ scores for emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect. Attempters were significantly more introverted and neurotic on the EPQ. Significantly more alcoholics who had attempted suicide had received antidepressant medication.


CONCLUSIONS
Other possible distal and proximal suicide risk factors were not examined.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the suicide risk factor model may be applicable to suicidal behavior in alcoholics. Distal risk factors like childhood trauma, family history of suicide, and introversion may increase an alcoholics suicide risk when they experience a proximal or trigger factor like depression.
Roy
Alec
A
Psychiatry Service 116A, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System, 385 Tremont Avenue,East Orange, NJ 07018, USA. alec.roy@med.va.gov
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D004644:Emotions; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007439:Introversion, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*