Intentional self-harm among US veterans with traumatic brain injury or posttraumatic stress disorder: Retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2017

Background: Veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be at increased risk of suicide attempts and other forms of intentional self-harm as compared to veterans without TBI or PTSD. Objective: Using administrative data from the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we studied associations between TBI and PTSD diagnoses, and […]

Understanding the impacts of corrections officer suicide

Cigarette Smoking is Associated With Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder

In this propsective observational study of 116 individuals with bipolar disorder, the authors examined the association between smoking & suicidality as measured by Linehan’s Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire & prospective suicide attempts over a 9-month period. Impulsivity was measured. Smoking was associated with higher baseline Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire scores in univariate & adjusted analyses but was […]

Complicated Grief and its Correlates in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

The authors conducted a survey with 120 patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder participating in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder in order to identify frequency of loss & to examine the presence of complicated grief & its clinical correlates. Complicated grief was associated with elevated rates of panic disorder & alcohol abuse comorbidity, […]

To Commit or not to Commit: the Psychiatry Resident as a Variable in Involuntary Commitment Decisions

This study examined whether psychiatry residents’ personal variables (such as age, gender, level of training, previous experience with patient suicide, or lawsuits) & their temperamental predispositions had an impact on their decisions to seek involuntary commitment. In a prospective pilot study, all psychiatry residents in Massachusetts were surveyed using a questionnaire that assessed their risk-taking […]

Coping With Youth Suicide and Overdose. One Community’s Efforts to Investigate, Intervene, and Prevent Suicide Contagion

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Psychologists-in-Training as Patient Suicide Survivors: a Preliminary Report

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Does Existential Meaning Require Hope, or is Interest Enough?

127 university students were administered Crumbaugh & Maholick’s (1981) Purpose in Life Test as a measure of meaningless versus existential meaning; Beck, Weissman, Lester, & Trexler’s (1974) Hopelessness Scale as a measure of hopelessness versus hope; & Farmer & Sundberg’s (1986) Boredom Proneness Scale as a measure of boredom versus interest. Among the findings that […]

Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents in Relation to Recalled Exposure to Violence

This study’s main hypothesis is that high levels of exposure to violence are associated with high suicide risk according to 2 conceptual paradigms – Fear of Death & Attraction & Repulsion to Life. 85 high school adolescents were administered 3 self-report questionnaires that assessed levels of exposure to violence, fear of death, & attitudes towards […]

A Model for an In-House Program to Assist Despairing and Suicidal Detainees/Institutional Residents

This presentation focussed on the experience of starting & continuing the Lifeline Suicide Intervention Program at the Suffolk County Jail in Boston. One of the aims of the presentation was to demonstrate a peer-level program can be supportive of, & cooperative with, professional staff & consultants at the institution. A profile of the 60+ detainne […]

Suicidal Verbalizations and Attempts in College Students: a Multivariate Log-Linear Analysis of the Perceived Helpfulness of Peer Reactions

This presentation reported on a study which involved an in-depth survey of college students regarding their experiences with suicide attempts & suicidal verbalizations, both by themselves & by others. 57 students at the University of Massachusetts participated. Discussion focussed on: possible intervention strategies involving peer education; implications for understanding the motivations for college suicides, particularly […]

Suicide Postvention: how can we Improve Existing Models?

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Predicting Hospitalization Versus Discharge of Suicidal Patients Presenting to a Psychiatric Emergency Service

Records for 257 patients presenting with suicide ideation to a psychiatric emergency service in Massachusetts were reviewed. Demographic & clinical correlates of hospitalization were examined by backward stepwise binary logistic regression. Hospitalization occurred for 70% of suicidal persons & was significantly associated with psychosis, a history of attempted suicide, & a suicide plan. With potential […]

Suicidal Ideation Among Urban Nine and ten Year Olds

Little is known about rates and correlates of suicidal ideation among nonclinical samples of preadolescents from low-income urban backgrounds. Using the Children’s Depression Inventory, we measured suicidal ideation in 131 preadolescent urban children (49% female, 90% African American/Caribbean) participating in an ongoing prospective longitudinal study of prenatal cocaine exposure and children’s outcome. Suicidal ideation was […]

Understanding the Link Between Anxiety Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors in Outpatients With Bipolar Disorder

A range of anxiety symptoms were examined in 98 patients with bipolar disorder. It was predicted each anxiety dimension would be linked to greater suicide ideation & behaviour, greater depressive rumination, & poorer emotional processing & expression. Each anxiety dimension except fear of negative evaluation was associated with a greater score on suicide ideation, greater […]

Needham ACTs: A Reprot to the Community From the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention

Technical Assistance Report on Suicide Prevention Practices Within the Massachusetts Department of Correction

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Effects of At-school Victimization and Sexual Orientation on Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Youths’ Health Risk Behavior

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Eating Disorders, Especially Anorexia, are Associated With an Increased Risk of Attempted Suicide in Young Women

Mental Health Training for law and Enforcement Professionals

Developmental Differences in Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts Between Ninth and Eleventh Graders

This study utilized a school-based survey of ninth & eleventh graders to identify differences in risk factors for suicide attempts throughout adolescence. Suicide attempts were associated with cigarette smoking & alcohol use, family violence, & depression for ninth graders & with illicit drug use, school violence, & sexual abuse for eleventh graders, while having friends […]

Longitudinal Comparison of Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes

136 treatment-seeking women were followed prospectively for 8-12 years to compare those with restricting anorexia nervosa & those with binge/purge anorexia nervosa on measures of impulsivity, course, & outcome. There were no differences between the two groups on measures of suicide attempts or gestures. In the 3-way analyses, there were significant associations for history of […]

Delinquency and Mortality: a 50-Year Follow-up Study of 1000 Delinquent and Nondelinquent Boys

The present study examined if the increased mortality of delinquent subjects (which is twice that of nondelinquents up to the age of 40) continues until age 65 &, if so, why. The authors followed 475 delinquent & 456 matched nondelinquent comparisons from age 14 until age 65 years. They found that 13% of delinquents & […]