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Attempted suicide and depression in schizophrenia
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Depression is strongly linked to suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts in individuals with schizophrenia. These associations persist over time, highlighting depression as a key factor in suicide risk for this population.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder associated with increased suicide risk.
- Understanding the predictors of suicidal behavior in schizophrenia is crucial for prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between schizophrenia symptoms and prior suicide attempts.
- To investigate the association between symptoms and current suicidal thinking over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 50 individuals meeting DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia.
- Assessment at admission and 6-month follow-up.
- Analysis of symptom-suicide attempt and symptom-suicidal thinking relationships.
Main Results:
- Prior suicide attempts were associated with depression, female sex, lower education, and hospitalization frequency at admission.
- Depression remained a significant predictor of prior suicide attempts at follow-up.
- Current suicidal thinking correlated with depression at both time points, and with negative symptoms (time 1) and psychosis (time 2).
Conclusions:
- Depression is a significant correlate of both prior suicide attempts and current suicidal thinking in schizophrenia.
- Negative symptoms and psychotic features also relate to suicidal thinking.
- Findings reinforce the importance of addressing depression in suicide prevention strategies for schizophrenia.