BACKGROUND: The assessment of suicide risk is a complex task for mental health professionals. Certain demographic groups are associated with completed suicide including males, divorced adults, and Caucasians. However, demographic variables alone provide a crude assessment of suicide risk. Psychiatric diagnosis and recent life events might improve the identification of high-risk individuals. METHOD: The current study evaluated 148 individuals who died by suicide compared with 257 adults who died suddenly from accidents or medical problems. Psychological autopsy was used to assess Axis I psychiatric diagnosis and recent stressful life events. RESULTS: Suicide completers were significantly more likely than comparison subjects to have a depressive disorder, a substance abuse disorder, and to have experienced interpersonal conflict in the months leading up to their death. A discriminant function analysis revealed that the combination of demographic variables, recent stressful life events, and psychiatric diagnoses best discriminated between suicide completers and comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Proper assessment of suicide risk should include a comprehensive evaluation of demographic characteristics, recent life stressors, and psychiatric diagnosis.
BACKGROUND: The assessment of suicide risk is a complex task for mental health professionals. Certain demographic groups are associated with completed suicide including males, divorced adults, and Caucasians. However, demographic variables alone provide a crude assessment of suicide risk. Psychiatric diagnosis and recent life events might improve the identification of high-risk individuals. METHOD: The current study evaluated 148 individuals who died by suicide compared with 257 adults who died suddenly from accidents or medical problems. Psychological autopsy was used to assess Axis I psychiatric diagnosis and recent stressful life events. RESULTS: Suicide completers were significantly more likely than comparison subjects to have a depressive disorder, a substance abuse disorder, and to have experienced interpersonal conflict in the months leading up to their death. A discriminant function analysis revealed that the combination of demographic variables, recent stressful life events, and psychiatric diagnoses best discriminated between suicide completers and comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Proper assessment of suicide risk should include a comprehensive evaluation of demographic characteristics, recent life stressors, and psychiatric diagnosis.
Authors: Douglas Gray; Hilary Coon; Erin McGlade; William B Callor; Josh Byrd; Joseph Viskochil; Amanda Bakian; Deborah Yurgelun-Todd; Todd Grey; William M McMahon Journal: Suicide Life Threat Behav Date: 2014-06
Authors: Alison Athey; James Overholser; Courtney Bagge; Lesa Dieter; Eric Vallender; Craig A Stockmeier Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2018-09-15 Impact factor: 3.222
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