Determination of Precipitating Events in the Suicide of Psychiatric Patients

Data from therapists who were treating patients when they killed themselves were used to provide information about precipitating events that was missing from accounts obtained from suicide victims’ relatives & friends. Among 26 patient suicides studied, the therapists identified a precipitating event in 25 cases; in 19 of these, supporting evidence linked the identified event to the suicide. A schema was developed that identifies 9 types of evidence provided by therapists in determining that an event precipitated the suicide. (11 refs)