title: Affective, behavioral, and cognitive functioning in adolescents with multiple suicide attempts.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine affective, behavioral, and cognitive functioning in adolescents with multiple suicide attempts. Forty-seven adolescents with a history of multiple suicide attempts (MA) were compared to 74 single suicide attempters (SA) on psychiatric diagnosis, depressive symptoms, affect regulation, self-mutilation, alcohol use, and hopelessness. Results revealed that the MA group was more likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder, and reported more severe depressive symptoms and anger, in comparison to the SA group. Behaviorally, the MA group had higher rates of disruptive behavior disorders and higher levels of affect dysregulation and serious self-mutilation than the SA group. Further, greater levels of hopelessness were reported by the MA than the SA group. After controlling for a mood disorder diagnosis, only differences in anger, affect dysregulation, and serious self-mutilation remained significant. Overall, results suggest that treatment with adolescent suicide attempters might specifically target anger and affect dysregulation to reduce risk for future suicidal behavior.
authors.affiliation: Brown Medical School and Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spirito
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boergers
authors.forename: Deidre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000786:Anger; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000453:epidemiology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology