The value of forgetting suicidal thoughts and behavior.
This is a prospective longitudinal study examining recollections of suicidal content and correlates of accurate and inaccurate recollection. A primarily at-risk group of young adults (N = 78) who were initially assessed for suicidal ideation and behavior in adolescence, were asked to recall whether they had reported sui- cidal ideation or behavior about six years earlier. In recalling the previous inter- view, the majority of the participants provided consistent reports. However, with regard to those who had previously reported suicidal ideation or behavior, 38% failed to recall prior adolescent suicidal reports. Those who provided accurate reports of prior suicidal content were more symptomatic and were functioning more poorly than those who failed to recall past suicidal content. The implications for clinical assessment practices, research, and theory development are discussed.
Klimes-Dougan
Bonnie
B
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. klimes@umn.edu
Safer
Martin A
MA
Ronsaville
Donna
D
Tinsley
Ruth
R
Harris
Susan J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D000647:Amnesia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires