Suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents and has received increasing attention from researchers worldwide. Despite the admirable aims of achieving a zero suicide target in Australia, the most recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018) indicate an increase in annual deaths by suicide.
Efforts to predict and prevent suicide may be significantly burdened by a lack of research exploring why some individuals choose to act on their suicidal thoughts, and others do not (Klonsky & May, 2014). Many purported risk factors, such as hopelessness and depression, often lack the specificity to adequately identify those most at-risk of suicide.
A recent study conducted at the University of Western Australia paid particular attention to factors which may differentiate adolescents who think about suicide, and those who go on to attempt (Kyron, Carrington-Jones, Page, & Lawrence, 2019).
The study surveyed more than 2600 Australian adolescents aged 12–17 and their carers, and identified various important markers of recent suicide attempts. Adolescents who attempted suicide reported greater family dysfunction, with home environments lacking in support and acceptance. They also had higher rates of conduct difficulties, such as being involved in physical altercations and smoking cigarettes on a weekly basis.
This research is one piece of a greater puzzle contributing to a global aim to prevent the tragedy of suicide, and provides modifiable targets. Indeed, the findings suggest various targets for clinical interventions in the form of behavioural and interpersonal factors, and also how risk assessments can be improved upon. Some argue that prior to widescale intervention it is critical to understand why people act on their suicidal thoughts and who is most at risk (Large, Ryan, & Nielssen, 2011).
Further research is needed to explore whether these factors are associated with acting on suicidal thoughts in longitudinal assessments and to identify how adolescents differ from adults.
Currently, understanding and prediction of suicide is inadequate, with a high number of people categorised as low-risk going on to take their life. It is therefore little surprise that resources often fail to reach those most in need or are ineffective in deterring those at risk.
doi: 10.1111/ajpy.12267
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Catalogue 3303.0 Cause of Death Australia, 2017 released in September 2018.
Klonsky, E. D., & May, A. M. (2014). Differentiating suicide attempters from suicide ideators: A critical frontier for suicidology research. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, 44(1), 1-5.
Kyron, M. J., Carrington‐Jones, P., Page, A. C., Bartlett, J., & Lawrence, D. Factors (2019) differentiating adolescents who consider suicide and those who attempt: Results from a National Survey of Australian Adolescents. Australian Journal of Psychology.
Large, M., Ryan, C., & Nielssen, O. (2011). The validity and utility of risk assessment for inpatient suicide. Australasian Psychiatry, 19(6), 507-512.
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