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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Suicide is among one of the leading causes of death in the United States affecting individuals of all ages.
METHODS: We examined the relationship between suicide risk and parental attachment among an inpatient psychiatric sample of 690 adolescents and 1000 adults. Participants completed self-report measures of suicide risk and attachment.
RESULTS: We found that both adolescents and adults with insecure (i.e., preoccupied, dismissive, fearful) maternal and paternal attachment are at a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to those with secure maternal and paternal attachment. Adolescents who endorsed a previous suicide attempt (27.2 %) were less likely to have a secure maternal attachment, while adults who endorsed a previous suicide attempt (28.9 %) were less likely to have secure paternal attachment. LIMITATIONS: Our sample had limited racial and ethnic diversity which may limit the generalizability of the results to a broader population.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides evidence of the importance of parental attachment styles as a predictor of suicide-related behaviors across both adolescents and adults who are admitted inpatient. This suggests the importance of utilizing family-based interventions in order to reduce the risk of suicide.
Language: en |