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Utah Youth Suicide Study: Psychological Autopsy
Author(s) -
Moskos Michelle,
Olson Lenora,
Halbern Sarah,
Keller Trisha,
Gray Doug
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1521/suli.2005.35.5.536
Subject(s) - psychiatry , mental health , suicide prevention , mental illness , medicine , substance abuse , poison control , medical examiner , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , human factors and ergonomics , psychology , clinical psychology , medical emergency , pathology
We conducted a psychological autopsy study to further understand youth suicide in Utah. While traditional psychological autopsy studies primarily focus on the administration of psychometric measures to identify any underlying diagnosis of mental illness for the suicide decedent, we focused our interviews to identify which contacts in the decedent's life recognized risk factors for suicidal behavior, symptoms of mental illness, as well as barriers to mental health treatment for the decedent. Parents and friends recognized most symptoms universally, although friends better recognized symptoms of substance abuse than any other contact. The study results suggest that parents and friends are the most appropriate individuals for gatekeeper training and, in conjunction with other innovative screening programs, may be an effective strategy in reducing adolescent suicide.