Citation

Bridge JA, Day NL, Day R, Richardson GA, Birmaher B, Brent DA. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2003; 42(11): 1294-1300.

Affiliation

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. bridgeja@msx.upmc.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/01.chi.0000084830.67701.9f

PMID

14566166

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the risk of DSM-III major depressive disorder (MDD) is uniform across the 6 months after adolescent exposure to a friend's suicide, and to examine potential moderating or mediating processes that may influence the risk of new-onset MDD. METHOD: One-month incidence rates of MDD were compared between 129 adolescents who were exposed to a friend's suicide between December 1988 and March 1991 and 145 similar-aged, unexposed community controls participating in the Youth Exposed to Suicide study. Clinical, family, and social factors that antedated the exposure were examined as predictors of new-onset MDD within 1 month of the suicide. RESULTS: Exposed adolescents had a markedly increased risk of developing new-onset MDD that was restricted to a narrow period of time, within 1 month after exposure. In contrast, there were no differences in the incidence of MDD between the groups in months 2 to 6. Past history of alcohol abuse increased the risk of exposure to suicide, which subsequently increased the risk of new-onset MDD within 1 month of exposure. Exposed youths who had both a family history of MDD and feelings of accountability for the death were at considerably increased risk of new-onset MDD. CONCLUSIONS: For adolescents exposed to a friend's suicide, events surrounding the death interact with family history of MDD to greatly increase the risk for new-onset MDD.

Language: en