One-year incidence of suicide attempts and associated risk and protective factors among adolescents.

The goal of this study was to estimate incidence of adolescent suicide attempts and predictors of attempts. Data were collected using diagnostic interviews and questionnaires with a sample of 4,175 youths 11-17 and 3,134 followed-up a year later. Total incidence was 0.95% and first incidence 0.84% for attempts. We found few significant independent predictors of attempts. Multivariate analyses identified only 2 independent predictors of first incidence (marijuana use and caregiver attempts). We did find evidence for cumulative effects of risk factors, with increased odds of attempts with increasing number of risk factors. The difficulty in identifying a common set of modifiable risk factors continues to make development of effective interventions difficult. However, based on our results and those of other researchers, the impact of the cumulative risk conferred by multiple factors would seem to offer a viable strategy for reducing risk of suicide attempts as well as other mental health outcomes among adolescents.