Citation

Recklitis CJ, Noam GG, Borst SR. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 1992; 22(3): 374-387.

Affiliation

Hall-Mercer Laboratory of Developmental Psychology and Developmental Psychopathology, Harvard Medical School.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1440751

Abstract

This empirical study investigated the relation between ego defense mechanisms, diagnoses, and suicidality among 200 adolescent psychiatric patients ages 12 to 16 years. Based on a structured diagnostic interview, adolescents were divided into three groups: suicide attempters, suicidal ideators, and nonsuicidal patients. Using the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI), suicidal adolescents scored higher on the defense of turning-against-self and lower on reversal, as compared to nonsuicidal adolescents. Although suicide was significantly more common among adolescents with an affective disorder, turning-against-self remained significantly associated with suicide attempt even when diagnosis was controlled for. Results demonstrate the importance of defense mechanisms in understanding adolescent suicidal behavior.