The Relation of Mood and Behavior to Alcohol Use in Adolescent Suicide Attempters

ABSTRACT

Background: Substance use has been shown to be an important risk factor for suicidal behavior in adolescence. In this study, rates of substance use in a sample of adolescents who had attempted suicide were examined as were the relationships of mood state and behavior problems to substance use.

Method: Adolescents (N = 106) treated in an emergency department or pediatric inpatient unit following a suicide attempt were administered a standardized clinical assessment battery including detailed measures of alcohol involvement.

Results: Seven percent of the sample reported alcohol or other drug use at the time of the attempt. About one third of the sample reported having been drunk at least once and one fifth reported at least one alcohol-related problem; 6% of the sample met diagnostic criteria for either alcohol abuse or dependence. Behavior problems were more strongly related to quantity and frequency of alcohol use than mood state. Hopelessness and behavior problems were both related to the severity of alcohol involvement.

Conclusions: Results suggest that alcohol use among suicide attempters is more strongly related to conduct than mood disturbance.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent suicide attempters
• depressed mood
• substance use
• alcohol