Factors Associated With Suicide Attempts in 648 Patients With Bipolar Disorder in the Stanley Foundation Bipolar Network

Demographic & course-of-illness variables were studied to understand better the incidence & potential clinical correlates of serious suicide attempts in 648 outpatients with bipolar disorders. Patients were evaluated using self-rated & clinician-rated questionnaires to assess incidence & correlates of serious suicide attempts prior to study entry. Retrospective findings, supplemented by prospective follow-up, indicate that a history of suicide attempts is associated with a more difficult course of bipolar disorder & the occurrence of more psychosocial stressors at many different time domains. (82 refs.) JA