Were suicide deceased more determined to die than attempters? A comparison study based on two psychological autopsy studies

ABSTRACT

The reason that some victims of suicide behaviors survived while the others died is unknown, and few studies have been conducted for Chinese populations. We aimed to analyze the effect of suicide intent on outcomes of suicide behaviors, and to explore the impact of psychological strain on suicide intent. Data for this study was derived from two psychological autopsy research projects conducted in China. The same interview procedure and instruments were used in the two projects. Suicide intent was measured by Beck’s Suicidal Intention Scale. Information on psychological strain was obtained. A total of 274 suicide deaths and 507 suicide attempters were included in the study. After controlling for socio-demographic variables, suicide intent was significantly associated with suicide death among people having suicide behaviors. Aspiration strain and coping strain were significantly associated with suicide intent. Significant intent-death association and psychological strain-suicide intent association were found in this study. Suicide intent might be an intermediate variable in the pathway from psychological strain to suicide death. Therefore, suicides might be more determined or motivated to die than those attempters who did not die of the act. Future research should continue to explore the mechanism of the psychological strain-suicide intent association, and more efforts on suicide prevention should be made from the perspective of psychological strain.

KEYWORDS:

• suicide attempt
• suicide
• suicide intent
• psychological strain
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by the United States National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): R01 MH068560.