Positive/Negative Symptoms and Suicidal Behavior in Schizophrenics Versus Depressives

This presentation discussed a study which attempted to answer the following questions: are there early risk factors for later suicidal activity among the hospitalized mentally ill? are these risk factors diagnostic-specific or do they cut across diagnosis? what is the pattern of suicidal activity across the course of a psychiatric illness? A sample of 98 patients with schizophrenia & 117 patients with nonpsychotic unipolar depression were followed up 5 times after index hospitalization. Patients were assessed for overall functioning, psychotic symptoms, positive thought disorder, negative deficit symptoms, & suicidal activity. Some findings indicated psychosis & deficit symptoms are diagnostic-specific risk factors for suicide & poorer post-hospital functioning is a risk factor for suicide attempts across diagnoses.