Psychotic Symptoms In Adolescents With Psychopathology Associated With Increased Suicide Risk

Date: Jul-17-2013Psychotic Symptoms In Adolescents With Psychopathology Associated With Increased Suicide Risk

Main Category: Mental Health

Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry

Article Date: 17 Jul 2013 - 13:00 PDT

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Psychotic Symptoms In Adolescents With Psychopathology Associated With Increased Suicide Risk


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Psychotic symptoms in adolescents with psychopathology were associated with a higher risk for suicide attempts in a study published by Ian Kelleher, M.D., Ph.D., of the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland, colleagues.

The researchers studied 1,112 school-based adolescents (ages 13 to 16 years) to assess psychotic symptoms as a clinical marker of risk for suicide attempt. Of the adolescents, 7 percent (n=77 study participants) reported psychotic symptoms at baseline. Of that subsample, 7 percent (n=4) reported a suicide attempt by the 3-month follow-up compared with 1 percent (n=12) of the rest of the sample and 20 percent (n=9) reported a suicide attempt by the 12-month follow-up compared with 2.5 percent (n=23) of the rest of the sample, according to the study results.

The results also indicate that among adolescents with baseline psychopathology who reported psychotic symptoms, 14 percent (n=4) reported a suicide attempt by three months and 34 percent (n=11) reported a suicide attempt by 12 months.

"Adolescents with psychopathology who report psychotic symptoms are at clinical high risk for suicide attempts," the study writes. "More careful clinical assessment of psychotic symptoms ... in mental health services and better understanding of their pathological significance are urgently needed."

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.