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Cited by 90Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesHomicide, Infanticide, and Child AbuseLGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Factors distinguishing suicide attempters from suicide ideators in a community sample: social issues and physical health problems

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FAIRWEATHER, A. K., ANSTEY, K. J., RODGERS, B., BUTTERWORTH, P.·2006·Psychological Medicine
DOI 10.1017/s0033291706007823
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Abstract

Background. Few studies have focused on factors that uniquely distinguish suicide attempters from suicide ideators. This study assesses prevalence of suicide attempts among suicide ideators within a community sample; explores demographics, employment status, mental and physical health conditions, personality, life stresses and social environment as factors that may distinguish these groups; examines effects of age and gender upon suicide attempts and associated factors; and investigates the increase in suicide attempts when multiple factors related to this behaviour are present. Method. Data were drawn from the PATH Through Life Project, a community survey of 7485 people in Canberra, Australia. A subsample of 522 suicide ideators were used for this study. Results. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with suicide attempts. Physical medical conditions (OR 1·95) and negative interactions with friends (OR 1·20) were associated with an increased likelihood of suicide attempts among suicide ideators. Age and gender interaction effects for suicide attempts were found involving physical medical condition and mastery among men (OR 3·78 and 0·83 respectively) and not being employed for those aged 40–44 years (OR 8·94). A cumulative effect was found when multiple factors associated with suicide attempts were present, and the probability of an attempt was significantly elevated. Conclusions. Factors distinguishing those who attempt suicide from suicide ideators involve being unemployed, physical ill health and relationship difficulties. Contrary to expectation, this study found that ideators and attempters experience comparable levels of depression and anxiety.

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  • Across studies, suicide attempters endorsed more general life stressors than suicide ideators.

    “Across studies, suicide attempters endorsed more general life stressors (i.e., events and difficulties) than suicide ideators.”

    From Life stress and suicide in adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as Fairweather et al. 2006

  • Among adults, negative interactions with friends and interpersonal conflicts specifically differentiated suicide attempters from suicide ideators.

    “Furthermore, among adults, “negative interactions with friends” (Fairweather et al. 2006) and “interpersonal conflicts” (McFeeters et al. 2015) specifically differentiated these groups.”

    From Life stress and suicide in adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as Fairweather et al. 2006

  • Prior studies can be categorized into those that measured stress exposure as a non-specific variable and those that examined only very specific types of life stress exposure.

    “Prior studies can be categorized into those that conceptualized and measured stress exposure as a non-specific variable (e.g., count of life stressors of any kind; Fairweather et al. 2006; King et al. 2001; Mars etal. 2019; Miller etal. 2017; O’Connor etal. 2012) and those that examined only very specific types of life stress exposure (e.g., arguments; Borges et al. 2008; Daniel et al. 2017; Stein”

    From Life stress and suicide in adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as Fairweather et al. 2006

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Authors
FAIRWEATHER, A. K., ANSTEY, K. J., RODGERS, B., & BUTTERWORTH, P.
Affiliations
Australian National University (AU)
ORCID
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2006-05-31
Volume
36
Issue
9
Pages
1235-1245
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
DOI
10.1017/s0033291706007823
OpenAlex
W2048660076
Cited by
90
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
FWCI
3.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Australian Rotary Health
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
Keywords
suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, physical health conditions, unemployment, interpersonal relationships, life events, personality, mastery, age and gender differences, cumulative risk factors, depression, anxiety
MeSH terms
Adult, Data Collection, Demography, Employment, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Disorders, Psychology, Severity of Illness Index, Social Environment, Stress, Psychological, Suicide, Attempted, Thinking, Prevalence

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