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Psychopathology 8 1/2 years post parasuicide
S Curran1, M Fitzgerald, V T Greene
1Drug Treatment Centre Board, Dublin, Ireland.
Crisis
|December 20, 1999
Summary
Long-term follow-up of parasuicide revealed poor outcomes, with psychiatric morbidity and parental overprotection being significant factors. Repeated instances of parasuicide were linked to worse long-term prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Limited long-term follow-up studies exist for parasuicide cases.
- No prior research has assessed psychiatric morbidity using diagnostic scales or parental bonding in this population over the long term.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate long-term outcomes of parasuicide.
- To assess psychiatric morbidity, social functioning, and parental bonding in parasuicide survivors.
- To identify factors associated with long-term prognosis after parasuicide.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up of 85 parasuicide cases after an average of 8.5 years.
- Utilized the Clinical Interview Schedule, Social Maladjustment Scale, and Parental Bonding Instrument for assessments.
- Interviewed 39 participants, assessing psychiatric morbidity, social functioning, and parenting recollections.
Main Results:
- Thirty-nine participants were interviewed; 19 were well, and 20 had psychiatric morbidity.
- Five participants died during follow-up, including 3 suicides.
- Childhood parental overprotection was associated with parasuicide; long-term outcomes were poor, particularly for repeated parasuicides.
Conclusions:
- Parasuicide is associated with adverse long-term psychiatric outcomes and parental overprotection.
- Repeated parasuicidal behavior indicates a particularly poor long-term prognosis.
- Challenges in long-term follow-up include migration, refusals, and untraceability.