Predisposing and Precipitating Risk Factors for Suicide Ideations and Suicide Attempts in Young and Adolescent Girls

Background: To investigate the predisposing and precipitating risk factors for suicide ideations and suicide attempts in young and adolescent females, we tried to introduce a holistic model of suicidal behavior in young and adolescent girls. Methods: This study is based on the survey studies and was cross-sectional. Considering high rates of suicide attempts in provinces of Iran, three provinces (Kermanshah, Hamedan, Ilam) which had the highest rates of completed suicide were selected. Then among female high school students (aged 14 to 21 years), in two stages a representative sample was selected by a multi-clusteral and simple randomized sampling methods. The research data were gathered by administering (1) The inventory of predisposing and precipitating factors of suicide, demographic and family characteristics (based on the literature review) (2) Symptom Check List (SCL) 90-R (3) Suicidality Subscale of the Depressive Symptom Index (DSI-SS) (4) Center for Epidemiological Studies (CEDSSI) (5) Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and (6) Child Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS). Then, subjects were characterized by dividing them in to two categories: at risk, and low risk. The scores of 2 categories were analyzed and discussed. Results: Relationships were found between suicide ideations and psychological problems and disorders (especially depression). Also, the students who reported suicide ideation and suicide attempt had a history of being abused. Based on the results, predisposing and precipitating risk factors and also some protective factors of suicide ideations and suicide attempts were found and a theoretical model was presented. Conclusion: Some predisposing, precipitating and protective factors can predict suicide ideation and suicide attempts significantly. MJIRI, Vol. 20, No.3, 123-129, 2006.