Familial pathways to early-onset suicide attempt: a 5.6-year prospective study.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Suicide attempts are strong predictors of suicide, a leading cause of adolescent mortality. Suicide attempts are highly familial, although the mechanisms of familial transmission are not understood. Better delineation of these mechanisms could help frame potential targets for prevention.

Objective

To examine the mechanisms and pathways by which suicidal behavior is transmitted from parent to child.

Design, setting, and participants

In this prospective study conducted from July 15, 1997, through June 21, 2012, a total of 701 offspring aged 10 to 50 years (mean age, 17.7 years) of 334 clinically referred probands with mood disorders, 191 (57.2%) of whom had also made a suicide attempt, were followed up for a mean of 5.6 years.

Main outcomes and measures

SUBMITTER: Brent DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4419699 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature