Citation

Goldston DB, Reboussin BA, Daniel SS. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 2006; 115(4): 842-849.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, US. david.goldston@duke.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/0021-843X.115.4.842

PMID

17100542

Abstract

The authors examined the state and trait components of 3 predictors of suicide attempts (depression, hopelessness, and anxiety), and their relationship to suicidal behavior. Self-report questionnaire and interview data from 180 adolescents enrolled in a prospective naturalistic study were analyzed. Between 23% and 30% of the variance in the predictors was attributable to subjects' trait levels of these variables; the trait, as well as the state, components of the predictor variables were interrelated; and trait levels of these variables were consistently related to suicide attempts. To reduce long-term risk of suicide attempts, clinicians should focus not only on reducing short-term distress but also on reducing individuals' more enduring patterns (trait levels) of negative affectivity.

Language: en