Citation

Conner KR, Duberstein PR, Conwell Y. Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 2001; 104(3): 204-209.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00405.x

PMID

11531657

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the validity of best-estimate methodology for making psychiatric diagnoses among individuals who attempted suicide.
METHOD: Subjects were 80 patients admitted for treatment following a suicide attempt. Psychiatric diagnoses based on structured interviews with subjects were compared with diagnoses made based on interviews with proxy respondents. In both cases, interview information was supplemented with pre-admission psychiatric and medical records to inform diagnoses.
RESULTS: Diagnostic agreement, based on kappa coefficients, was substantial for major depression and bipolar disorders, and moderate for non-affective psychoses, organic mood and anxiety disorders. Agreement was substantial for substance dependence but poor for substance abuse disorders.
CONCLUSION: Results support best-estimate methodology for making mood and substance dependence diagnoses in research of suicidal behavior in this age group, with potential implications for interpreting postmortem research of completed suicide.

Language: en

Keywords

Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Family Relations; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Middle Aged; Reproducibility of Results; Suicide