Suicide Reattempt Research Articles

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Inpatients

Suicide risk is elevated after discharge from inpatient level of care. Empirically supported inpatient suicide prevention treatments are needed. To determine whether adding an inpatient version of brief cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention to treatment as usual reduces postdischarge suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and psychiatric readmissions and to determine whether substance use disorder moderates treatment effects. This randomized clinical trial compared treatment as usual (n = 106) to treatment as usual plus brief cognitive behavioral therapy for inpatients (n = 94) at a private psychiatric hospital in Connecticut. Follow-up assessments were completed monthly for 6 months postdischarge. Participants were enrolled from January 2020 through February 2023. Inpatients admitted following a suicidal crisis (past-week suicide attempt or ideation with plan on admission and attempt within previous 2 years) were included. Medical records of consecutive admissions (n = 4137) were screened, 213 were study eligible and randomized, and 200 were analyzed. A total of 114 participants (57.0%) completed 6-month follow-up assessments. Data from medical records were also obtained through 6-month follow-up. Up to 4 individual sessions of brief cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention designed for inpatients. Suicide attempts and readmissions were assessed via blind interviews and medical record review. Suicidal ideation was assessed via self-report. The mean (SD) age among 200 analyzed participants was 32.8 (12.6) years; 117 participants were female and 83 were male. Brief cognitive behavioral therapy-inpatient reduced the occurrence of suicide attempt over 6 months postdischarge by 60% (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20-0.80; number needed to treat, 7) in the entire patient group, and the rate of psychiatric readmissions by 71% (rate ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09-0.90) in those without a substance use disorder. The effect of treatment condition on suicidal ideation was less clear, although post hoc analyses indicated less severe suicidal ideation following brief cognitive behavioral therapy-inpatient vs treatment as usual at 1 and 2 months postdischarge. Brief cognitive behavioral therapy-inpatient reduced 6-month postdischarge suicide reattempts and rate of readmissions when added to treatment as usual. Substance use disorder moderated the treatment's effect on readmission rates. Treatment effects on suicidal ideation were less clear. Implementation research is needed to facilitate dissemination. Additional research is also needed to optimize outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04168645.

Relationship Between the Feeling of Emptiness and Suicide Reattempt: Conclusions From Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses.

The feeling of emptiness is a complex subjective experience considered relevant in the suicidal process, acting as a risk factor for suicide ideation, attempts and even reattempts. However, empirical studies are still scarce. This study has three objectives: to compare emptiness levels in healthy people and those with suicide attempts; to compare the emptiness level between people with a single suicide attempt and multiple suicide attempts at baseline; and to study emptiness as a risk factor for the appearance of new suicidal attempts after an index one. In the study, 382 healthy controls and 58 participants with a recent suicide attempt (in the past 15 days) participated. All completed the feeling of emptiness scale (FES). Information was also collected on sociodemographic characteristics and history of suicide attempts. First, the control sample scores were compared with those of the clinical sample. Later, the single attempt and reattempt groups (any amount greater than one attempt at baseline) were compared. Finally, the clinical sample was followed for 1 year and 3 months (through clinical records). Survival analysis was performed. The clinical group obtained higher scores across the FES subscales, even when controlling for other relevant variables (p < 0.01). When comparing people with one versus several attempts, differences were also observed in all subscales except one, the reattempt group getting higher scores (p < 0.05). Regarding the survival analysis, the feeling of emptiness was significantly associated with the risk of reattempt (HR = 1.04; p < 0.05). All people who reattempted during follow-up belonged to the reattempt group at baseline. People who have attempted suicide present higher emptiness scores. Furthermore, emptiness appears to significantly predict the occurrence of new attempts at follow-up. The feeling of emptiness may be associated with the lack of vital meaning and disconnection from others, fundamental aspects of the ideation-to-action suicide models. Including emptiness in suicide assessments could increase clinicians' predictive ability.

Recency of Suicide Attempt, Ideation, and Reattempt in the Emergency Department: Managing Youth With a Past Attempt

Recency of Suicide Attempt, Ideation, and Reattempt in the Emergency Department: Managing Youth With a Past Attempt

Protective factors for suicidal behaviour in adults self-reported as LGBTQ+: a study based on modulating variables

This study aims to identify factors that modulate resilience in LGBTQ + adults with a history of suicide attempts and reattempts, by hypothesising that positive mental health and various internal and external protective factors will predict suicide resilience in this population. 112 LGBTQ + Spanish individuals (60.7% self-identified as female, 34.8% as male and 4.5% did not identify their gender) aged 18–41 years with a history of self-harm or suicide attempts completed several questionnaires measuring variables such as self-efficacy, emotion regulation, social support, entrapment, anxiety, depression, positive mental health and resilience. In terms of the protective variables most predictive of resilience, social support, positive mental health and emotion regulation were found to be crucial and, to a lesser extent, self-efficacy expectations for coping with stressful or adverse situations. In addition, path analyses revealed distinct profiles of modulated categorical variables in LGTBQ + individuals who had attempted suicide once or who had attempted suicide two or more times. These findings highlight the importance of addressing protective factors, such as social support and positive mental health, in promoting resilience and reducing suicide risk among LGBTQ + individuals.

Can profiles of behaviors occurring within 48 h of a suicide attempt predict future severity of suicidal thoughts and reattempt?: An examination of hospitalized patients 12 Months post-discharge

Behavioral warning signs (WS) are near-term changes within individuals, which aid in determining imminent risk for suicide attempts. However, those who attempt suicide differ in their engagement of WS, and it is unclear if these differences relate to future risk of suicidal behavior. Using a sample of 132 adults presenting to a hospital following a suicide attempt, the current study sought to determine if differences in engagement in WS for the index attempt prospectively predicted suicide attempt, frequency of ideation, and intensity of suicide ideation 12 months post discharge. Latent class analyses (LCAs) conducted on 6 behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, nightmares, interpersonal negative life events, suicide communication, risky behavior, low sleep, and high sleep) found a 5-class solution optimally fit the data. One identified class, characterized by engagement in risky behaviors the hours before an attempt differed from other identified classes in terms of risk for future suicidal ideation and behaviors. More specifically, participants in “High Risky Behavior” class had higher rates of 12-month suicide reattempt, significantly more frequent suicide ideation, and significantly worse intensity of suicide ideation during the 12 months following their index attempt compared to participants endorsing typical patterns of WS. These results held when adjusting for various traditional baseline covariates (e.g., depressive symptoms). The current study demonstrates that patterns of behavioral WS may be utilized as their own prognostic indicator of future suicidal ideation and behaviors among high-risk individuals reporting a recent suicide attempt, which can inform post-discharge clinical intervention and prevention efforts.

Risk factors of suicide re-attempt: A two-year prospective study

BackgroundHistory of suicide attempt (SA) is the strongest predictor of a new SA and suicide. It is primordial to identify additional risk factors of suicide re-attempt. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors of suicide re-attempt in patients with recent SA followed for 2 years. MethodsIn this multicentric cohort of adult inpatients, the median of the index SA before inclusion was 10 days. Clinicians assessed a large panel of psychological dimensions using validated tools. Occurrence of a new SA or death by suicide during the follow-up was recorded. A cluster analysis was used to identify the dimensions that best characterized the population and a variable “number of personality traits” was created that included the three most representative traits: anxiety, anger, and anxious lability. Risk factors of re-attempt were assessed with adjusted Cox regression models. ResultsAmong the 379 patients included, 100 (26.4 %) re-attempted suicide and 6 (1.6 %) died by suicide. The two major risk factors of suicide re-attempt were no history of violent SA and presenting two or three personality traits among trait anxiety, anger and anxious lability. LimitationsIt was impossible to know if treatment change during follow-up occur before or after the re-attempt. DiscussionOne of the most important predictors of re-attempt in suicide attempters with mood disorders, was the presence of three personality traits (anger, anxiety, and anxious lability). Clinicians should provide close monitoring to patients presenting these traits and proposed treatments specifically targeting these dimensions, especially anxiety.

Risk factors for suicide reattempt: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Suicide is one of the main external causes of death worldwide. People who have already attempted suicide are at high risk of new suicidal behavior. However, there is a lack of information on the risk factors that facilitate the appearance of reattempts. The aim of this study was to calculate the risk of suicide reattempt in the presence of suicidal history and psychosocial risk factors and to estimate the effect of each individual risk factor. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA-2020 guidelines. Studies on suicide reattempt that measured risk factors were searched from inception to 2022. The risk factors studied were those directly related to suicide history: history of suicide prior to the index attempt, and those that mediate the transition from suicidal ideation to attempt (alcohol or drug misuse, impulsivity, trauma, and non-suicidal self-injury). The initial search resulted in 11 905 articles. Of these, 34 articles were selected for this meta-analysis, jointly presenting 52 different effect sizes. The pooled effect size across the risk factors was significant (OR 2.16). Reattempt risk may be increased in presence of any of the following risk factors: previous history, active suicidal ideation, trauma, alcohol misuse, and drug misuse. However, impulsivity, and non-suicidal self-injury did not show a significant effect on reattempt. Most of the risk factors traditionally associated with suicide are also relevant when talking about suicide reattempts. Knowing the traits that define reattempters can help develop better preventive and intervention plans.

Behavioural mental health interventions delivered in the emergency department for suicide, overdose and psychosis: a scoping review

ObjectiveTo identify and describe evidence on brief emergency department (ED)-delivered behavioural and care process interventions among patients presenting with suicide attempt or acute ideation, substance overdose or psychosis.DesignWe employed a...

응급실을 내원한 약물중독 자살시도자의 응급실 기반 자살시도자 사후관리사업 참여 영향요인

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect the participation of drug intoxication suicide attempters in emergency room-based post-suicide attempt care program for suicide attempters, which is implemented by the country to prevent re-attempts by suicide attempters. Method: This study targeted suicide attempters who attempted suicide by drugs intoxication and visited an emergency room from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. This was a retrospective study that compared the general characteristics, drug intoxication-related characteristics, and treatment-related characteristics of participants and non-participants in an emergency room-based post-suicide attempt care program. Results: There were 416 subjects who visited the emergency room due to suicide attempt drug intoxication. 246 (59.1%) participated in the emergency room-based post-suicide attempt care program and 170 (40.9%) did not participate. Between participants and non-participants in emergency room-based post-suicide attempt care program was significant difference mental illness was significant difference mental illness (χ2=124.91, p&lt;.001), hospital visit time (χ2=8.92, p=.030), systolic blood pressure (χ2=4.71, p=.030), and moderate severity (χ2=12.42, p=.006). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, in order to increase the participation rate of drug intoxicated suicide attempters in the emergency room-based post-suicide attempter care program, it is necessary to strengthen the capacity of emergency room nurses who initially interview suicide attempters and provide discharge education to respond to suicide attempters. We also suggest developing strategies to prevent suicide re-attempts, such as the development of an administrative system that allows suicide attempters to connect with community counseling organizations after being discharged from the emergency room.

Risk factors of reattempt among suicide attempters in South Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort study.

This study aimed to identify underlying demographic and clinical characteristics among individuals who had previously attempted suicide, utilizing the comprehensive Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database. Data of patients aged 18 and above who had attempted suicide between January 1 and December 31, 2014, recorded in HIRA, were extracted. The index date was identified when a suicide attempt was made within the year 2014. The medical history of the three years before the index date and seven years of follow-up data after the index date were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to infer reattempt of the suicide attempters, and Cox-proportional hazard analysis was used to investigate risk factors associated with suicide reattempts. A total of 17,026 suicide attempters were identified, of which 1,853 (10.9%) reattempted suicide; 4,925 (28.9%) patients had been diagnosed with depressive disorder. Of the reattempters, 391 (21.1%) demonstrated a history of suicide attempts in the three years before the index date, and the mean number of prior attempts was higher compared to that of the non-reattempters (1.7 vs.1.3, p-value < 0.01). Prior psychiatric medication, polypharmacy, and an increase in the number of psychotropics were associated with suicide reattempt in overall suicide attempters. (Hazard ratio (HR) = 3.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.56-4.00; HR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.87-3.14; HR = 19.66, 95% CI = 15.22-25.39 respectively). The risk of reattempt decreased in individuals receiving antidepressant prescriptions compared to those unmedicated, showing a reduction of 78% when prescribed by non-psychiatrists and 89% when prescribed by psychiatrists. Similar risk factors for suicide reattempts were observed in the depressive disorder subgroup, but the median time to reattempt was shorter (556.5 days) for this group compared to that for the overall attempters (578 days). Various risk factors including demographics, clinical characteristics, and medications should be considered to prevent suicide reattempts among suicide attempters, and patients with depressive disorder should be monitored more closely.

Psychometric properties, predictive utility and diagnostic capacity of the Persian version of the Scale of Resilience to Suicide Attempts in army conscripts.

Suicide among army conscripts represents a poorly understood and complex public health issue that has escalated in recent decades. The early identification of individuals at risk holds the potential to significantly contribute to the effective prevention of suicide attempts. To address this, the Scale of Resilience to Suicide Attempts-18 (SRSA-18) has been developed to assess protective factors related to suicide attempts. The present study aimed to develop a Persian version of SRSA-18 (P-SRSA) and examine its psychometric properties and predictive utility within a sample of the Iranian Army. The initial study sample consisted of 400 male conscripts from the Iranian Army grand forces (M=19.86, SD=1.40). Subsequently, for the follow-up stage, 296 participants (M=19.83, SD=1.39) were recruited. The participants were assessed using various measures of resilience, social support, suicide and hopelessness at baseline and a 6-month follow-up. In contrast to the original version, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported an 18-item two-factor model of the P-SRSA (root mean square error of approximation=0.076; 95% CI (0.069 to 0.086), comparative fit index=0.943, Tucker-Lewis index=0.936). P-SRSA strongly correlated with convergent/divergent measures and demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (α=0.82). Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that the P-SRSA significantly predicted suicide reattempts at baseline and during a 6-month follow-up period. The study confirms that the P-SRSA, comprising a two-factor, 18-item solution, is a reliable measure of resilience, displaying robust discriminant and predictive validity. These findings provide substantial support for implementing P-SRSA in samples from the Iranian Army, highlighting its potential to identify suicidal conscripts effectively.

Risk Factors for Suicide Reattempt among Adolescents and Young Adults: The Role of Psychiatric Disorders.

Suicidal behaviour among young people is a serious public health concern. Each suicide attempt is related to further suicide attempts and completed suicide. This study aims to explore risk factors associated with repeated suicide attempt among adolescents and young adults. The cohort included 510 patients aged 12-29 years residing in Piedmont Region in North-Western Italy, who had been admitted to hospital or emergency department with a diagnosis of suicide attempt between 2010 and 2020. Cox regression models were used to evaluate potential risk factors for repeated suicide attempt. During the 11-years follow-up, 20.6% of adolescents and young adults repeated suicide attempt, 24.8% of females and 12.3% of males. Nearly 90% of youth who attempted suicide had a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder. After adjustment, younger age of onset of suicidal behaviour, and diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anorexia nervosa and personality disorder were significantly associated with repeated suicide attempt. The early identification of patients at higher risk of repetition of suicidal behaviour is of crucial importance. Better understanding of risk factors and effective treatment of mental disorders could help suicide prevention to reduce the burden of the problem among young people. Special attention should be paid during the initial months following discharge from hospital or emergency department, when suicide reattempt risk is very high.

P68: Early psychiatric referral after attempted suicide helps prevent suicide reattempts: A longitudinal national cohort study in South Korea

Introduction:Although people who attempted suicide tend to repeat suicide attempts, there is a lack of evidence on the association between psychiatric service factors and suicide reattempt among them.Methods:We used a nationwide, population-based medical record database of South Korea to investigate the use of psychiatric services before and after the index suicide attempt and the association between psychiatric service factors after the index suicide attempt with the risk of suicide reattempt.Results:Among 5,874 people who had attempted suicide, the all-cause mortality within 3 months after the suicide attempt was 11.6%. Among all subjects who attempted suicide, 30.6% of them had used psychiatric services within 6 months before the suicide attempt; 43.7% of them had used psychiatric services within 3 months after the suicide attempt. Among individuals who had visited clinics following attempted suicide, the cumulative incidence of suicide reattempt over a mean follow-up period of 5.1 years was 3.4%. About half of suicide reattempts occurred within 1 year after the index suicide attempt. Referral to psychiatric services within 7 days was associated with a decreased risk of suicide reattempt (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence intervals, 0.29-0.89).Conclusion:An early psychiatric referral within 1 week after a suicide attempt was associated with a decreased risk of suicide reattempt.

Prevention of Re-attempt Suicide Through Brief Contact Interventions: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Brief contact intervention (BCI) is a low-cost intervention to prevent re-attempt suicide. This meta-analysis and meta-regression study aimed to evaluate the effect of BCI on re-attempt prevention following suicide attempts (SAs). We systematically searched using defined keywords in MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus up to April, 2023. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for inclusion after quality assessment. Random-effects model and subgroup analysis were used to estimate pooled risk difference (RD) and risk ratio (RR) between BCI and re-attempt prevention with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-regression analysis was carried out to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity. The pooled estimates were (RD = 4%; 95% CI 2-6%); and (RR = 0.62; 95% CI 0.48-0.77). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that more than 12 months intervention (RR = 0.46; 95% CI 0.10-0.82) versus 12 months or less (RR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.54-0.80) increased the effectiveness of BCI on re-attempt suicide reduction. Meta-regression analysis explored that BCI time (more than 12months), BCI type, age, and female sex were the potential sources of the heterogeneity. The meta-analysis indicated that BCI could be a valuable strategy to prevent suicide re-attempts. BCI could be utilized within suicide prevention strategies as a surveillance component of mental health since BCI requires low-cost and low-educated healthcare providers.

Effectiveness of a targeted brief intervention for recent suicide attempt survivors: a randomised controlled trial protocol

IntroductionEffective, brief, low-cost interventions for suicide attempt survivors are essential to saving lives and achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Zero Suicide. This study aims...

Examining common and distinct contributions to the etiology of suicide attempt and reattempt.

This study examined the extent to which the genetic and environmental characteristics of having a first versus a second suicide attempt (SA) are common or specific. We evaluated the direct pathway between these phenotypes and the role of specific risk factors. From Swedish national registries, two subsamples of individuals born between 1960 and 1980 were selected (1,227,287 twin-sibling pairs and 2,265,796 unrelated individuals). First, a twin-sibling model was fit to evaluate the genetic and environmental risk factors related to first and second SA. The model also included a direct path between first and second SA. Second, an extended Cox proportional hazards model (PWP) was used to evaluate the risk factors related to first versus second SA. In the twin-sibling model, suicide reattempt was strongly related to first SA (β = 0.72). The total heritability for the second SA was estimated at 0.48, with 45.80% unique to this second SA. The total environmental influence for the second SA was 0.51, with 50.59% unique. In the PWP model, we found that childhood environment, psychiatric disorders, and selected stressful life events were related to both first and second SA, potentially reflecting common genetic and environmental factors. Other stressful life events were associated with first but not second SA in the multivariable model, suggesting their specificity in explaining the first occurrence of SA but not its recurrence. Specific risk factors related to second SA need to be further explored. These findings have important implications for describing the pathways toward suicidal behavior and identifying individuals at risk for multiple SA. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychiatric Emergencies and Suicide Attempts Before and During COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental health of the population. The lockdown period in Spain - from March 14 to June 21, 2020 - was particularly stressful. This study aims to examine the differences in visits to the emergency department for psychiatric reasons before and during the lockdown period in a hospital in the province of Lleida (Catalonia, Spain), which has a catchment area of 431,183 inhabitants. We hope that this study can contribute to the understanding of this difficult period in our recent history and help us to be prepared in case of new social emergencies that may affect the mental health of the general population. Aims: This study aims to examine the differences in ER visits due to psychiatric reasons before and during the COVID-19 lockdown period in a province hospital in Spain. Methods: We compared the n = 1,599 visits to the emergency room and their characteristics before (June 13 to March 13, 2020) and during (March 14 to June 21, 2020) the lockdown period in the province of Lerida, Spain. Data were obtained from the electronic health records. Information collected included sociodemographic variables, reason for consultation, previous diagnosis, and characteristics of suicidal ideation and attempts - including history of previous suicidal behavior, method, days spent in the ER, suicide reattempts at 6-month follow-up. Results: Before lockdown, there were an average of 11.2 psychiatric emergencies per day compared with 9.2 psychiatric emergencies per day during lockdown. Regarding suicidal behavior, before lockdown, there were an average of 0.9 suicide attempts before lockdown compared with 0.7 attempts per day during lockdown. Limitations: Since the data came from the electronic health records, we have relied on the clinical diagnosis made by different psychiatrists. Also, we did not record psychiatric comorbidities, but instead only registered one main Axis I diagnosis and one main Axis II diagnosis. Conclusions: We observed a decrease in the number of visits to the ER in general, as well as a lower frequency of patients with suicidal behavior during the first and only lockdown period in Spain, which occurred during the initial months of the pandemic. This is consistent with previous studies showing a reduction of suicidal behavior during periods of social emergency. However, this decrease could be only temporary, and several authors predict an increase of suicidal behavior in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. Ensuring access to mental healthcare during periods of crisis is crucial for the population.

The association between reattempted suicide and incoming calls to the brief contact intervention service, VigilanS: a study of the clinical profile of callers

BackgroundSuicide is a major health problem globally. As attempted suicide is a major risk factor for suicide, specific prevention strategies have been designed for use thereafter. An example is the brief contact intervention (BCI). In this regard, France employs a composite BCI, VigilanS, which utilizes three types of contact: phone calls, postcards and a ‘who to contact in a crisis’ card. Previous studies have found that this system is effective at preventing suicide. Nevertheless, VigilanS was not effective in the same way for all the patients included. This observation raises the question of specific adaptation during follow-up for populations that were less receptive to the service. In consideration of this issue, we identified one study which found that incoming calls to the service were linked with a higher risk of suicide reattempts. However, this study did not document the profiles of the patients who made these calls. Better understanding of why this population is more at risk is important in terms of identifying factors that could be targeted to improve follow-up. This research therefore aims to bring together such data.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of 579 patients referred to VigilanS by Toulouse University Hospital (France). We examined the sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, and follow-ups in place and compared the patients who made incoming calls to the service versus those who did not. Subsequently, we conducted a regression analysis using the significantly associated element of patients calling VigilanS. Then, in order to better understand this association, we analyzed the factors, including such calls, that were linked to the risk of suicide reattempts.ResultsWe found that 22% of the patients in our sample called the VigilanS service. These individuals: were older, at 41.4 years versus 37.9 years for the non-callers; were more likely to have a borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis (28.9% versus 19.3%); and had a history of suicide attempts (71.9% versus 54.6%). Our analysis confirmed that incoming calls to VigilanS (OR = 2.9) were associated with reattempted suicide, as were BPD (OR = 1.8) and a history of suicide attempts (OR = 1.7).ConclusionThere was a high risk that the patients calling VigilanS would make another suicide attempt. However, this association was present regardless of the clinical profile. We postulate that this link between incoming calls and reattempted suicide may arise because this form of contact is, in fact, a way in which patients signal that a further attempt will be made.

Supplemental Material for Examining Common and Distinct Contributions to the Etiology of Suicide Attempt and Reattempt

Supplemental Material for Examining Common and Distinct Contributions to the Etiology of Suicide Attempt and Reattempt

Six-Month Clinical and Ecological Momentary Assessment Follow-Up of Patients at High Risk of Suicide

Objective: In this study, we combined ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with traditional clinical follow-up to explore correlates of suicidal relapse in patients with a history of suicidal behavior. Methods: Over 6 months, we followed up with 393 patients who completed baseline and follow-up interviews and were monitored through smartphone-based EMA via the MEmind app. Recruitment was conducted between February 2018 and March 2020. We recorded the occurrence of clinical suicidal events and EMA suicidal events, the latter defined as extreme scores on questions on passive suicide ideation. Results: Fifteen percent of participants had a new clinical suicidal event during follow-up (9.2% suicide attempt ; 5.9% emergency referral for suicidal ideation ). Of the 319 participants who installed the MEmind app, 20.7% presented with EMA suicidal events. EMA suicidal events were statistically significantly associated with clinical suicidal events at 2-month follow-up but not at 6-month follow-up. In the Cox multivariate regression model, 5 factors were independently associated with clinical suicidal events: number of previous SAs, SA in the past year, SA in the past month (risk factors), female gender, and age (protective factors). Conclusions: Our study confirms some of the risk factors classically associated with risk of suicide reattempt, such as history of suicidal behavior, while questioning others, such as female gender. Risk factors associated with EMA events differed from risk factors associated with traditional clinical suicide events, supporting the existence of distinct suicidal phenotypes.