Psychosis and functioning as risk factors for later suicidal activity among schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients: A disease-based interactive model

The present research explores the relationship of positive symptoms, negati ve symptoms, and posthospital functioning to subsequent suicidal behavior o ver a 7 1/2-year period, and examines whether these patterns vary with diag nosis. The results support a multifactor model of suicide risk. Both psycho sis and poor functioning show some relationship to later suicidal activity for both schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients. Psychosis may remain a risk factor for suicidal activity for schizoaffective patients, even when functioning is partialed out. This is in contrast to the schizophrenia pati ents, for whom functioning seems to mediate the effects of psychosis on lat er suicidality. In general, adequacy of overall posthospital functioning me diates the effects of some risk factors on suicidal activity within differe nt diagnostic groups.