Case Western Reserve University.
J Clin Psychol. 2012 Mar;68(3):349-61. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20859. Epub 2011 Dec 2.
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.
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.
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.
Proper assessment of suicide risk should include a comprehensive evaluation of demographic characteristics, recent life stressors, and psychiatric diagnosis.
自杀风险评估是心理健康专业人员的一项复杂任务。某些人口统计学群体与自杀有关,包括男性、离婚成年人和白种人。然而,人口统计学变量单独提供了对自杀风险的粗略评估。精神科诊断和近期生活事件可能有助于识别高风险个体。
本研究比较了 148 名自杀死亡者和 257 名因意外或医疗问题突然死亡的成年人。使用心理解剖评估轴 I 精神科诊断和近期的压力生活事件。
自杀完成者比对照组更有可能患有抑郁症、物质滥用障碍,并且在死亡前几个月经历了人际冲突。判别函数分析表明,人口统计学变量、近期压力生活事件和精神科诊断的组合可以最好地区分自杀完成者和对照组。
适当的自杀风险评估应包括对人口统计学特征、近期生活压力源和精神科诊断的全面评估。