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Emotional distress and substance abuse as risk factors for suicide attempts
J C Overholser1, S R Freiheit, J M DiFilippo
1Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7123, USA.
Background:
Both depression and hopelessness have been found to be closely related to suicide risk among adolescents and adults. Substance abuse has also been found to play a role in the suicide process with adults, but it is still unclear how much substance abuse influences suicide in adolescents.
Method:
The present study examined the relationship between substance abuse, emotional distress, and suicidal intent among 115 adolescent psychiatric inpatients who had attempted suicide.
Results:
Measures of emotional distress, as well as the measures of substance abuse, were significantly intercorrelated. Correlations across domains (emotional distress versus substance abuse), however, varied by gender. Among adolescent females, both depression and hopelessness were significantly related to suicidal intent, whereas among adolescent males, only depression was related to suicidal intent. Also, alcohol abuse was significantly related to depression and hopelessness in adolescent males.
Conclusions:
Hopelessness may not be as useful an indicator of suicide risk among adolescent males as it is with adolescent females. Intervention and prevention programs designed for adolescent females should identify and address feelings of depression and hopelessness. New intervention and prevention programs may need to be developed for adolescent males.