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[The "lethality" of attempted suicide]
J L Pedinielli1, J Delahousse, B Chabaud
1Service de Psychiatrie et de Psychologie Médicale, C.H.U., Amiens.
Annales Medico-Psychologiques
|September 1, 1989
Summary
Medical severity of suicide attempts, or lethality, is linked to psychological factors. High lethality correlates with psychosis and suicidal intent, while low lethality is associated with impulsivity and hedonistic views of death.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Suicidology
- Medical Sociology
Context:
- Suicide attempts represent a significant public health concern.
- Quantifying the medical severity (lethality) of suicide attempts is crucial for understanding risk.
- The relationship between psychological factors and the medical severity of suicidal behavior requires further investigation.
Purpose:
- To identify psychiatric and psychological factors associated with the medical severity of suicide attempts.
- To analyze the relationship between "lethality" and various components of the suicidal gesture.
- To utilize the Weisman and Worden scale for measuring suicide attempt lethality.
Summary:
- Factorial analysis of 758 suicide attempts revealed strong correlations between lethality and indicators of psychological distress.
- High lethality was linked to diagnoses of psychosis, depressive symptoms, high suicidal intent, and specific conceptions of death.
- Low lethality was associated with hedonistic death concepts, fewer depressive signs, impulsivity, psychopathic behaviors, or absence of diagnosed mental disorders.
Impact:
- Findings support the hypothesis that the severity of psychological difficulties directly influences the medical severity of suicide attempts.
- This research provides valuable insights for clinical assessment and intervention strategies in suicide prevention.
- Understanding these links can aid in tailoring treatment approaches based on individual patient profiles and risk levels.