Psychotic experiences and suicidal outcomes in a general population sample

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Psychotic experiences (PEs) are recognized risk factors for suicidal ideation and attempts.
• Previous research on the influence of psychosocial confounders has produced inconsistent findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent association between PEs and suicidal ideation/attempts.
• To determine the extent to which sociodemographic and psychosocial factors confound this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 974 participants in a general population sample.
• Fitting four regression models with hierarchical adjustments for sociodemographic and psychosocial risk factors.
• Examining associations between PEs and suicidal ideation and attempts.

Main Results:

• PEs were significantly associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation (OR=1.89) and suicide attempts (OR=4.33).
• These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, although attenuated.
• Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors substantially confounded the initial associations.

Conclusions:

• PEs are independently associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
• The findings underscore the importance of considering PEs in suicide risk assessment.
• Understanding confounding factors is crucial for accurate risk stratification.