Analysis of Motives and Factors Connected to Suicidal Behavior in Patients Hospitalized in a Psychiatric Department

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 22;19(10):6283. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19106283.

Abstract

(1) Background: This study aimed to investigate the motives and factors connected to suicidal behavior in 121 hospitalized patients with intentional self-harm (diagnosis X 60-81 according to the ICD-10); (2) Methods: Suicidal behavior of the patient was assessed from data obtained by psychiatric examinations and by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Analysis of data to identify the patients' reason and motives behind suicidal behavior in a group of patients with a suicide attempt (SA, n = 80) and patients with Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behavior (NSSIB, n = 41) was carried out; (3) Results: Results showed that patients with affective disorder have a 19-times higher rate of SA against other diagnoses. Patients with personality disorders have a 32-times higher rate of NSSIB than patients with other diagnoses. Living alone and the absence of social support increased the likelihood of SA. Qualitative data analysis of patients' statements showed different themes in the justification of motives for suicidal behavior between SA and NSSIB cases. Significant differences were shown for non-communicated reasons, loneliness, social problems, extortion, and distress; (4) Conclusions: The evaluation of patients' verbal statements by qualitative analysis during the psychiatric examination should be considered in clinical practice. It should be considered to include self-poisoning in the criteria of the Non-suicidal Self-Injury diagnostic categories.

Keywords: Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale; motivation; predictors; qualitative analysis; self-injury; suicide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Motivation
  • Personality Disorders
  • Self-Injurious Behavior* / psychology
  • Suicidal Ideation*
  • Suicide, Attempted / psychology

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the University Biomedical and Technological park (MediPark, No. ITMS2014:313011D103) and partly by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (grant number APVV-18-0283).