Risk of Future Suicide Attempts in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients at 18-Month Follow-Up

This study investigated potential predictors of suicidal behaviour in adolescents during an 18-month follow-up. Subjects included 60 adolescent psychiatric inpatients initially assessed in a private psychiatric hospital. Follow-up suicidality was most strongly predicted by high intake levels of hopelessness, & an increase in or persistent problems with depression during follow-up. Some family functioning variables measured at intake were predictive of suicidal behaviour at the univariate level but did not add to the predictive ability of individual functioning variables. A mediational model was proposed in which the impact of family functioning on adolescent suicidality is mediated by its impact on individual functioning. (54 refs.)