title: Everyday functioning of male adolescents who later died by suicide: Results of a pilot case-control study using mixed-method analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous research has shown a link between difficulties in everyday functioning and suicidality in adolescence. The majority of research in this field focuses on suicidal ideation and attempts, rather than on completed suicide. The main goal of this study is to better characterize everyday functioning among young men who later completed suicide. Based on previous literature, we hypothesized that the functioning of adolescents who died by suicide would be poor, compared to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study is a record-driven study, which examined summaries of screening interviews performed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of 20 male adolescents who later completed suicide, compared with 20 matched living controls. The current study is a pilot stage of a larger project. The study used unique data, collected as part of the IDF pre-induction process, in the months or years before the tragic outcome. The data were extracted by two psychologists, blinded to the participants׳ suicide or non-suicide outcome, using mixed-method technique, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main findings indicated that, in comparison with controls, male adolescents who later died by suicide were described as having more interpersonal difficulties, were more likely to be involved in violent behavior, had more difficulties in dealing with problems in everyday functioning and had an avoidant conflict resolution style.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional difficulties are apparent in a wide range of behavioral domains in adolescents who later complete suicide. These findings indicate a need for interventions that might assist young persons, and it is possible that such assistance might reduce the likelihood of suicide. However, because suicide is a rare outcome and these behavioral traits are common in adolescence, the presence of such traits might not be useful in identifying people at risk of suicide.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Ortal
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Buhnick-Atzil
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Department of Psychiatry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Rivka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuval-Mashiach
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science Center, Israeli Defense Forces, Israel.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Israeli Defense Forces, Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fruchter
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Large
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Department of Mental Health, Israeli Defense Forces, Israel; Department of Psychiatry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiser
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Adolescents; Functioning before suicide; Suicide