Abstract
Objective: Adolescent parasuicide has often been associated with family disturbance, hopelessness and psychiatric disturbance, but little empirical work has been done to verify these clinical impressions.
Method: The present study compares matched groups of hospitalised parasuicidal adolescents, non-psychiatric medically hospitalised adolescents and a control group on measures of family disturbance, hopelessness and psychopathology.
Results: The findings reveal significantly higher levels of family disturbance, hopelessness and depressive symptoms in the parasuicidal group.
Conclusions: The results suggest that prevention and treatment of adolescent parasuicide should focus on both individual and family dynamics.
