Assessing varying degrees of lethality in depressed adolescent suicide attempters
- 1 June 1999
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Vol. 99 (6), 423-431
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1999.tb00988.x
Abstract
Objective: Understanding the lethality of suicide attempts and its relation to other psychological variables may improve clinical judgement with regard to suicide risk. Method: The lethality of suicidal behaviour was examined in 60 hospitalized adolescent in‐patients who had recently attempted suicide. Subjects were divided into non‐lethal, low‐lethal and high‐lethal groups based on the qualities of their suicidal acts. Results: The groups did not differ in terms of hopelessness, depression, substance abuse or self‐esteem. Moreover, they did not differ significantly in diagnoses of major depression. adjustment disorder, substance abuse and bipolar disorder. The group of high‐lethal attempters was the only group with several individuals diagnosed with a major depressive episode and comorbid attention deficit disorder. The high‐lethal group also reported the strongest desire to end their lives. Conclusion: Based on lethality of suicide attempts, adolescent suicide attempters can be differentiated in terms of the wish to die as well as some instances of diagnostic comorbidity. However, they may not be differentiated in terms of severity of depression or hopelessness, demographic variables and other aspects of suicidal behaviour.Keywords
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised: Development of a short formJournal of Clinical Child Psychology, 1995
- Self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, and suicidal intent among psychiatrically disturbed inpatient childrenJournal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 1994
- Social problem solving in suicidal adolescents.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1993
- Self-reported suicidal ideation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1993
- Social problem solving in suicidal adolescents.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1993
- Clinical correlates of intent in attempted suicideActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1991
- Assessment of Suicide RiskThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1987
- The Hopelessness Scale for Children: Psychometric characteristics and concurrent validity.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1986
- The Hopelessness Scale for Children: Psychometric characteristics and concurrent validity.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1986
- Life Stress, Medical Lethality, and Suicidal IntentThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1985