Aetiological Factors in Attempted Suicide

Abstract

A consecutive series of 156 attempted suicides admitted to hospital were compared with (1) non-suicidal psychiatric patients and (2) medical, surgical, and obstetric patients without psychiatric disorder in respect of salient variables in their past and present environment. Controls were matched with attempted suicides for age, sex, social class, country of origin, and, in the case of psychiatric patients, diagnosis. Attempted suicides differed significantly from both control groups in having a greater incidence of childhood parental loss, and such loss more commonly involved both parents, occurred at a younger age, and was more likely to be permanent (i.e., due to parental death and divorce). The sex of the absent parent and the childhood environment after parental loss were not correlated with attempted suicide. With regard to the immediate environment, a significantly higher proportion of attempted suicides than controls had experienced recent disruption of a close relationship due to interpersonal conflict. No significant differences were observed between the suicidal and control groups in terms of (a) social isolation (i.e., living alone), (b) psychological isolation (i.e., the absence of any close interpersonal relationships), (c) material circumstances, or (d) physical illness. Recent disruption of close relationships was found to be correlated with parental loss. Possible ways in which these variables may contribute to suicidal behaviour are considered. The need for verification of present findings is stressed. The same study is being conducted on an American hospital population by other workers, and their findings are awaited with interest. © 1966, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.