Year: 2015 Source: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.(2015).41(3):264-268.doi:10.3109/00952990.2015.1011744 SIEC No: 20150289

Our previous work demonstrated that the Transmissible Liability Index (TLI), an instrument designed as an index of liability for substance use disorder (SUD), is associated with risk of substance use disorder. This longitudinal study assessed whether TLI measured in 10Ð12-year-olds (late childhood) predicts suicidal behavior from age 12Ð14 (preadolescence) to age 25 (young adulthood). We hypothesized that TLI would predict number and severity of suicide attempts. Methods: Subjects were sons of men who had lifetime history of SUD (n = 250), called the High Average Risk (HAR) group, and sons of men with no lifetime history of a SUD (n = 250), called the Low Average Risk (LAR) group. The TLI was delineated at baseline (age 10Ð12), and age-specific versions were administered at 12Ð14, 16, 19, 22, and 25 years of age. Results: TLI was significantly associated with number and severity of lifetime suicide attempts. Conclusions: These findings confirm the hypothesis that TLI assessed at late childhood is a predictor of frequency and severity of suicidal behavior from preadolescence to young adulthood.

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