Patterns of stressful life events: distinguishing suicide ideators from suicide attempters

Abstract

Background: Suicidal ideation is an important indicator for subsequent suicidal behaviour, yet only a proportion of ideators transit from thought to action. This has led to interest surrounding the factors that distinguish ideators who attempt from non-attempters. The study aimed to identify distinct classes of life event categories amongst a sample of ideators and assess the ability of the classes to predict the risk of a suicide attempt.

Methods: A subsample of ideators was extracted based on responses to the suicidality section of the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N=7403). Fifteen stressful life events (SLEs) were grouped into six broad categories.

Results: Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), three distinct classes emerged; class 1 had a high probability of encountering interpersonal conflict, class 2 reported a low probability of experiencing any of the SLE categories with the exception of minor life stressors, whereas class 3 had a high probability of endorsing multiple SLE categories. The Odds Ratio for attempted suicide were highest among members of Class 3.

Limitations: The use of broad event categories as opposed to discrete life events may have led to an underestimation of the true exposure to SLEs.

Conclusions: The findings suggest the experience of multiple types of SLEs may predict the risk of transitioning towards suicidal behaviour for those individuals who have contemplated suicide. In application, this re-emphasises the need for a routine appraisal of risk amongst this vulnerable group and an assessment of the variety of events which may signal the individuals who may be at immediate risk.

Keywords: Attempt; Ideation; Stressful life events; Suicide.