| Risk factors |
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| Personal characteristics |
|
| Psychopathology |
Over 90% of youth suicides have at least one psychiatric disorder. The most common include depression, substance abuse, borderline or schizotypal, antisocial, disruptive (i.e., conduct disorder and impulsive), and psychotic. |
| Prior suicide attempts |
It is the best predictor of future death by suicide. |
| Cognitive and personality factors |
Hopelessness, impulsivity, poor interpersonal problem-solving skills, and aggression. |
| Sexual orientation |
Homosexual and bisexual youth exhibit more suicidal behaviors. |
| Family characteristics |
|
| Family history of suicidal behavior |
Greatly increases risk of completed suicide, although the mechanism for transmission is unclear. |
| Parental psychopathology |
Association with suicide risk is unclear but is important in assessing parental ability to maintain a safe and nurturing home environment. |
| Parent–child conflict |
Low parental acceptance and high parental rejection may increase suicide risk. |
| Adverse life circumstances |
|
| Stressful life events |
For example, disciplinary problems, breakup with significant other, and parent–child conflict. |
| Physical and sexual abuse |
Moderate association exists after controlling for other factors. |
| Socioenvironmental and contextual factors |
|
| Socioeconomic status |
Significant in African-American samples. |
| School and work problems |
Impairment and dropout. |
| Contagion/imitation |
Knowledge of peer suicide and media reports. |
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| Protective factors |
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| Family cohesion |
Mutual involvement, shared interests, and emotional support. |
| Religiosity |
Inverse relationship between orthodoxy and suicide risk. |
Friends
|
Increases in importance with age.
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