FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

This study explored the association between psychosocial variables and symptoms among patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders who hav e attempted suicide and those who have not attempted suicide. Of 336 p atients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were consecutively evaluated at a university-affiliated clinical research center, 98, or 29.2 percent, reported one or more su icide attempts. Compared with patients who had not attempted suicide, patients who had made an attempt had a greater number of lifetime depr essive episodes, an earlier age of onset of their illness, and an earl ier age at first hospitalization.