Study investigates who is at more risk of attempting suicide more than once

A PhD thesis presented at the UAB by Francisco Villar concludes that it is extremely necessary to heighten support to minors with suicidal behaviour who present disadapted personality traits, a family history of mental issues any cases of self-harm.

07/09/2018

Each year, the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona cares for an average of 250 adolescents at a high risk for suicide, including those who have thought about death or suicide, those who have thought out a plan for suicide and those who have committed acts of self-harm.

Francisco Villar, clinical psychologist and head of the Suicidal Behaviour Unit at the Mental Health Service of the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona, has studied over 800 cases of minors with suicidal ideation and behaviour who were treated at the centre in the last few years. He aims to pinpoint the improvements needed in the care of these adolescents in order to prevent them from trying to harm themselves again.

This study forms part of the PhD thesis "Factors de risc en la conducta suïcida en l'adolescència" (Risk Factors of Suicidal Behaviours in Adolescence), which Francisco Villar presented in June at the UAB. His thesis was directed by Tomás Blasco and Carmina Castellano, lecturers of the Department of Basic, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Villar classified the adolescents into three groups. The largest of the groups, representing 60% of the total, was formed by young people with long-term vital and behavioural problems (maladjustment, school failure, family problems, etc.); the second group was formed by another 30% of patients, adolescents suffering from severe mental disorders and the remaining 10% were young people without any mental issues or signs of risk, but who try to end their life as a way to solve a stressful situation they are experiencing. Of all the patients treated, 9% of them try to commit suicide again within a six month period.

Villar also identified some of the risk factors which allowed recognising those patients who had attempted to commit suicide and were at a higher risk of attempting it again in the following six months. These results are especially useful for mental health professionals treating these patients since there is a need to maximise precautions and attention in the follow-up of adolescents with the following profile:

-Personality traits consistent with maladjustment, males with problems in managing emotions and relations, both with others and with themselves.
-Family history of mental health problems.
-History or evidence of self-harm.

The results of this research demonstrate that, contrary to what is currently believed, depression is not a predictive factor in recurring suicide attempts and seems to be more related to suicidal ideation than to committing suicide. Therefore, the promotion of treatments focusing on acquiring new skills (emotional management, social skills, conflict resolution, etc.) may be key to preventing suicidal behaviour.