Citation

Inostroza R. C, Cova S. F, Bustos N. C, Quijada I. Y. J. Neuroeuropsychiatry (Santiago, Chile) 2015; 53(4): 231-240.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Society of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Chile)

DOI

10.4067/S0717-92272015000400003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is a relevant subject to public health. Its incidence has increased in Chile during the last decade. The current study aims to analyze psychological factors mediating the influence of depressive symptomatology in suicide ideation and attempt in mental health patients.

METHOD: 96 mental health patients from public services and private practice, 67 percent female, with an average age of 30.7 years (SD = 12.2) answered Goldberg’s 12 item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12), Beck’s hopelessness scale (BHS) and coping inventory for stressful situations (CISS-21). Logistic regression and mediation analysis were used to establish suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempt risk.

RESULTS: 22.9 percent of patients had suicide ideation during the last six months and 41.7 percent tried to commit suicide at least once during their lives. Logistic regression results shows that, after controlling for depressive symptomatology, hopelessness influences suicide ideation, and task-oriented coping influences lifetime suicide attempt. Hopelessness mediates the association between depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, and task-oriented coping mediates between depressive symptomatology and history of suicide attempt.

CONCLUSIONS: Psychological factors such as hopelessness and task-oriented coping mediate the association between depressive symptomatology and non-lethal suicidal behavior, therefore they must be specifically considered in the treatment of patients at suicide risk.

Language: es

Keywords

Depression; Coping; Hopelessness; Depresión; Afrontamiento; Desesperanza; Conducta suicida no letal; Non-lethal suicidal behavior