Can suicide be predicted with familial factors?

A retrospective study was carried out on 44 patients with major depression to study familial characteristics and to determine whether this patient pop ulation could be prospectively characterized. Two groups were differentiate d: the first consisted of suicidal depressive patients, and the second cons isted of non-suicidal depressive patients. A discriminant analysis was then made on two variables: health locus of control for the depressive patient, and the adaptability and cohesion factors for the existing couple, the ori ginal family and the nuclear family. This analysis provided a psychological profile of the suicidal patient and his family based on the individual's h ealth locus of control, and indicated certain psychological and familial pr edisposing factors. The results showed that the family has a considerable i nfluence on the health of a suicidal depressive subject compared to that of a non-suicidal depressive individual. The capacity for adaptability is les s and the attitudes are more rigid in the former subject's family than in t he latter individual's family. These results have been discussed. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.