Psychiatric profiles in suicidal attempters: Relationships with suicide behaviour features

Abstract

Background

Suicide constitutes a major health concern worldwide, being a significant contributor of death, globally. The diagnosis of a mental disorder has been extensively linked to the varying forms of suicidal ideation and behaviour. The aim of our study was to identify the varying diagnostic profiles in a sample of suicide attempters.

Methods

A sample of 683 adults (71.3% females, 40.10 ± 15.74 years) admitted at a hospital emergency department due to a suicide attempt was recruited. Latent class analysis was used to identify diagnostic profiles and logistic regression to study the relationship between comorbidity profile membership and sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Results

Two comorbidity profiles were identified (Class I: low comorbidity class, 71.3% of attempters; Class II: high comorbidity class, 28.7% of attempters). Class I members were featured by the diagnosis of depression and general anxiety disorder, and low comorbidity; by contrast, the high comorbidity profile was characterized by a higher probability of presenting two or more coexisting psychiatric disorders. Class II included more females, younger, with more depressive symptoms and with higher impulsivity levels. Moreover, Class II members showed more severe suicidal ideation, higher number of suicide behaviours and a greater number of previous suicide attempts (p < .01, for all the outcomes), compared to Class I members.

Conclusions

Psychiatric profiles may be considered for treatment provision and personalized psychiatric treatment in suicidal attempters as well as tackle suicide risk.