Suicide attempt risk factors in individuals with psychiatric disorders and multi-affected families: a network analysis

AI Summary

Previous suicide attempts were primarily associated with alcohol abuse, female sex, and younger age at onset of psychiatric disorders.
Sociodemographic network showed age, sex, and marital status directly related to prior suicide attempts.
Clinical and psychopharmacological networks highlighted alcohol abuse, peripartum complications, and mood stabiliser therapy duration as central risk factors.

Npj Ment Health Res. 2026 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s44184-026-00218-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Psychiatric disorders are characterized by familiarity, which could also be implicated in the process leading to suicide attempts. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between sociodemographic, clinical, and psychopharmacological factors and previous suicide attempts in individuals with psychiatric disorders and multi-affected families. Separate networks for the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychopharmacological domains were estimated using Gaussian graphical models. The most influential variables were then combined to estimate an overall network. Results indicated that previous suicide attempts were primarily associated with alcohol abuse, female sex, and a younger age of onset of psychiatric disorders. The sociodemographic network revealed that age, sex, and marital status were directly related to a previous suicide attempt. In the clinical network, alcohol abuse and peripartum complications were central, while mood stabilizer therapy duration emerged as a significant factor within the psychopharmacological network. These findings underscore the importance of a multidimensional approach in suicide risk assessment to address the complex determinants of suicidal behavior effectively.

PMID:42168571 | DOI:10.1038/s44184-026-00218-1

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