Kj. Kaplan et M. Harrow, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS AS RISK-FACTORS FOR LATER SUICIDAL ACTIVITY IN SCHIZOPHRENICS VERSUS DEPRESSIVES, Suicide & life-threatening behavior, 26(2), 1996, pp. 105-121
Seventy schizophrenia patients and 97 depressives were studied prospec
tively while in the hospital and at periodic follow-ups. Positive symp
toms, negative symptoms, and posthospital functioning were assessed at
the 2-year follow-up; and suicidal activity, at the 7.5-year follow-u
p. The results support an interactive model of suicide risk. Psychotic
symptoms (i.e., hallucinations, delusions) predict later suicidal act
ivity only for the schizophrenia patients. Deficit symptoms (psychomot
or retardation, concreteness) predict later suicidal activity only for
the depressive group. Adequacy of overall functioning predicts later
suicidal activity for both diagnostic groups and appears to mediate th
e effects of psychosis in the schizophrenia group.