A prospective study of adolescent suicidal behavior following hospitalization.

Identification of factors associated with adolescent suicidal behavior following psychiatric hospitalization would facilitate development of effective aftercare interventions. This prospective study identified specific predictors of suicidal behavior in 100 adolescents during a 6-month follow-up period. Standardized baseline assessments and structured follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with adolescents and their guardians. Eighteen percent of adolescents reported suicidal behavior during the follow-up period, primarily of low medical lethality and minimal or ambivalent suicidal intent. This behavior was associated with suicidal thoughts, family dysfunction, and dysthymia. It was not associated with initial posthospitalization treatment compliance. Implications of these findings are discussed.

确定与精神病住院后青少年自杀行为相关的因素将有助于制定有效的出院后干预措施。这项前瞻性研究在6个月的随访期内确定了100名青少年自杀行为的具体预测因素。对青少年及其监护人进行了标准化的基线评估和结构化的随访电话访谈。在随访期间，18%的青少年报告有自杀行为，主要是低致死性且自杀意图微弱或矛盾。这种行为与自杀念头、家庭功能失调和心境恶劣有关，但与出院后的初始治疗依从性无关。本文对这些研究结果的意义进行了讨论。