OBJECTIVE: To identify the predictive value of juvenile factors for adult suicidal behavior.
METHODS: We reviewed clinical records to compare factors identified in childhood and adolescence between adult suicidal versus nonsuicidal major affective disorder subjects.
RESULTS: Suicide attempts occurred in 23.1% of subjects. Age-at-1st-symptom was 14.2 vs 20.2 years among suicidal versus nonsuicidal subjects (p < 0.0001). More prevalent in suicidal versus non-suicidal subjects by multivariate analysis were: depressive symptoms, hyper-emotionality, younger-at-1st-affective-episode, family suicide history, childhood mood-swings, and adolescence low self-esteem. Presence of one factor yielded a Bayesian sensitivity of 64%, specificity of 50%, and negative predictive power of 86%. COMMENT: Several juvenile factors were associated with adult suicidal behavior; their absence was strongly associated with a lack of adult suicidal behavior.