Te. Joiner et al., Parameters of suicidal crises vary as a function of previous suicide attempts in youth inpatients, J AM A CHIL, 39(7), 2000, pp. 876-880
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
Journal title
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
Objectives: Although suicidal crises demand an enormous amount of clinical
attention. surprisingly little empirical research has been conducted on the
parameters of suicidal crises in general, and in children and adolescents
in particular. On the basis of past conceptual work on the unique character
istics of multiple suicide attempters, as well as work on the effect of pre
vious suicidal and depressive experience on later functioning, the authors
developed predictions regarding the intensity and duration of suicidal cris
es in youths presenting to inpatient psychiatry units. Specifically, it was
hypothesized that multiple attempt status would relate significantly to in
tensity of suicidal crises and would relate more strongly to intensity than
to duration of crises. Method: Data on past suicide history and self-rated
symptoms were collected for 50 suicidal patients, all of whom were availab
le at follow-up. Results: Findings conformed to prediction: Multiple attemp
ters experienced more intense but not more long-lasting crises; the relatio
n between multiple attempt status and crisis intensity exceeded that betwee
n multiple attempt status and crisis duration. Conclusions: Previous suicid
al experience may alter the parameters of current suicidal crises. Implicat
ions of these findings for suicide risk and clinical assessment and managem
ent are discussed.