Family interaction and adolescent suicidal behaviour: a preliminary investigation

While investigators have emphasized the importance of familial relations in the production of suicidal behaviour in adolescence, experimental evaluation of specific family interaction processes has, thus far, been neglected. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible relationships between adolescent suicidal behaviour and total on-going family functioning. Hypotheses were advanced to evaluate the communication, interaction and reinforcement patterns in families. A modified revealed differences technique was employed to elicit standardized segments of interaction which were video-taped and later studied by two independent raters. The sample consisted of twelve individually matched, intact family tetrads, six normal (N) and six containing an adolescent female who had exhibited suicidal behaviour (SM). Results suggest that SM families constitute a malfunctioning system which can be differentiated from that of normal samples. As compared with the N group, SM family interaction evidenced less effective productivity, specificity, and adaptive interaction, and higher rates of conflict and negative reinforcement. Overall findings were discussed in terms of current family theory and their possible relationship to the genesis, maintenance and management of some classes of suicidal behaviour.