Life events as precipitants of suicide attempts among first-time suicide attempters, repeaters, and non-attempters

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate risk factors for suicide attempts and propose a model explaining the associations among life events and suicide status. We assessed 263 subjects admitted following a suicide attempt to the Division of Psychiatry of the Department of Neurosciences of the University of Parma and compared them with 263 non-attempter clinical control subjects. Attempters reported significantly more adverse life events both in the last 6months, and between the ages of 0–15years than non-attempters. A multinomial logistic regression analysis with stepwise forward entry indicated that the best model to explain suicide status was one which included life events in the last 6months, life events during age 0–15years, and their interaction. First-time attempter status (vs. non-attempters) was more likely to be linked to life events in the last 6months, the interaction between life events in the last 6months and life events during age 0–15years, and low social support. Those attempters with one or more prior attempts (repeat attempters) were more likely than non-attempters to be linked to the interaction between life events in the last 6months and life events during age 0–15years, and to higher rates of psychopharmacological treatment before the index admission. Guided by these findings, monitoring the impact of early-life and recent events in vulnerable individuals should be part of risk assessment and treatment.