Suicide and suicide attempts in adolescent-onset psychotic disorders

Abstract

Eighty-eight subjects with adolescent-onset psychotic disorders (mean age+/-standard deviation 15.7+/-1.5 years), mainly schizophrenia and affective disorders, were followed up 10.6+/-3.6 years later, rediagnosed (DSM-IV) and assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, abuse of drugs including nicotine, the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile and occurrence of suicide or suicide attempts. Four males (4.5% of subjects) had died from suicide while another 25% of the subjects had attempted suicide. Suicide attempts were associated to more depressive symptoms but fewer negative symptoms at first episode, and to number of admissions and to dependence on nicotine at follow-up in a logistic regression. Satisfaction with religion, health, family relations and safety at follow-up were inversely associated to attempting suicide but only satisfaction with religious belief remained after controlling for concurrent symptoms of anxiety and depression.