NCJ Number
175974
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 43 Issue: 5 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 964-968
Date Published
1998
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, along with autopsy and toxicological findings, for 392 youth suicides in Paris (France) between 1989 and 1996; it also analyzed the psychodynamic determinants that led up to the onset of the suicide.
Abstract
During the 8-year study period, 392 suicides that involved youth were investigated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Paris. A total of 260 victims (66 percent) were males. The mean age was 22 years for both sexes. Fifteen percent of the victims were below 20 years old; 92 percent of the subjects were single; 40 percent were students, and 35 percent were unemployed. One- third of the victims had previously attempted suicide. Thirty- five percent of the subjects had taken psychoactive prescription drugs, and some of them had been under the care of a mental health professional at the time of the suicide. In 40 percent of the cases, a suicide note was found near the body. Depression (70 percent of victims), schizophrenia (10 percent), affective disorders, parent-child relational problems, partner relational problems, adolescent antisocial behavior, and borderline personality were found to be the most frequent diseases and stressors involved in the suicides. Suicides were rarely an accidental reaction to stress. It was constantly preceded by situational distress, which led to suicidal ideas if the adolescent failed to cope with problems. Ten percent of the victims were known heroin users. In more than 40 percent of the cases, the victim's parents were divorced or separated. The most frequent method of suicide was poisoning followed by jumping from a height, gunshot, subway death, and hanging/asphyxia. Among firearms, a handgun was more likely to be used than a rifle (85/15 percent). Tranquilizers were the most frequent psychoactive drugs used for suicide, followed by antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and barbiturates (10 percent). 1 table, 3 figures, and 25 references