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PTSD from a suicide attempt: An empirical investigation among suicide attempt survivors
Author(s) -
Stanley Ian H.,
Hom Melanie A.,
Boffa Joseph W.,
Stage Dese'Rae L.,
Joiner Thomas E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22833
Subject(s) - psychology , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , suicide prevention , psychiatry , suicide attempt , posttraumatic stress , poison control , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , intervention (counseling) , medicine , medical emergency , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Objectives Suicide attempts (SAs), by definition, represent a risk for serious injury or death; thus, one's SA may contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet, empirical data on this topic are lacking. This study aimed to characterize the phenomenology, rate, and associated features of PTSD following one's SA. Method A total of 386 adult SA survivors recruited from web‐based sources participated. Results Overall, 27.5% (95% confidence interval = 23.1–31.9%) of SA survivors screened positive for a probable SA‐related PTSD diagnosis. Individuals with a probable SA‐related PTSD diagnosis reported greater current suicidal intent than those without this probable diagnosis; this association was significant at low, but not high, levels of depression symptoms. Conclusions A substantial proportion of SA survivors may experience SA‐related PTSD. SA‐related PTSD may be a viable assessment and intervention target to improve the quality of life and to reduce future suicide risk among SA survivors.