Psychosocial aspects of deliberate physical suicide attempts by children and adolescents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It is the second common cause of death among young people. There’s a lack of research studies on the psychosocial aspects of adolescents’ suicide in Lithuania. The study aimed to evaluate the demography, life circumstances, health conditions as possible suicide causes in adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a retrospective study was performed in the Children’s Hospital (Vilnius University Santara Clinics). Medical documentation of adolescents, treated in this hospital after the suicidal attempt, from January 2011 till April 2018 were analyzed. RESULTS: there were 117 cases of suicide attempts included into the study: 83.8% female and 16.2% male with an average age 15.02 ± 1.9 years; 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 21.9% – in the orphanage; 36.4% suffered from parental alcoholism, 17,2% experienced suicide in their close surroundings. They hade comorbidities (girls 72.5%, boys 68.8%), mostly – depression (31.3%), were suffering from bullying (54,1%), or violence (26.0%), hade signs of other self-harm (85.4%, girls more often (p 0.000)). Most of them chose to cut for suicide attempts (86.0% girls, 56.2% boys), in 52.8% of cases attempt was spontaneous, 34% – relapsed. Even 34% of events were done in March (18.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the possible circumstances related to adolescents’ suicide: female gender for an attempt, male – for more potentially lethal method, lack of prosperity in family life, comorbidity, experienced bullying, violence, and early spring period. The signs of any self-harm could be an indicator before the suicidal attempt.