title: Predictors of suicide attempts: state and trait components.
abstract: The authors examined the state and trait components of 3 predictors of suicide attempts (depression, hopelessness, and anxiety), and their relationship to suicidal behavior. Self-report questionnaire and interview data from 180 adolescents enrolled in a prospective naturalistic study were analyzed. Between 23% and 30% of the variance in the predictors was attributable to subjects' trait levels of these variables; the trait, as well as the state, components of the predictor variables were interrelated; and trait levels of these variables were consistently related to suicide attempts. To reduce long-term risk of suicide attempts, clinicians should focus not only on reducing short-term distress but also on reducing individuals' more enduring patterns (trait levels) of negative affectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, USA. david.goldston@duke.edu
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Goldston
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Reboussin
authors.forename: Stephanie Sergent
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires