Revisão: Comportamento Suicida ao Longo do Ciclo Vital

Abstract

Suicidal behavior can be regarded as the act of intentionally causing harm to oneself, the ultimate goal being to end one's own life. It includes suicidal ideas and desires, suicidal behaviors not resulting death and actual suicides. The present article reviews sixty six studies on suicidal behavior throughout the life cycle identifying possible risk factors and protective characteristics of each stage. The publications were from the years 2000 to 2012, they were selected and analyzed, including the three categories of the life cycle: the infant to teenager stage, adulthood and elder phase. General risk and protective factors were observed since they are present in all stages of human development, as well as specifi c factors, which are particularly present in each phase of the life cycle.