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Prevalence of subthreshold forms of psychiatric disorders in persons making suicide attempts in Hungary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

J. Balázs ,
I. Bitter ,
Y. Lecrubier ,
N Csiszér  and
G. Ostorharics
J. Balázs*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary
I. Bitter
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary
Y. Lecrubier
Affiliation:
Inserm U 302, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris, France
N Csiszér
Affiliation:
Elisabeth Hospital and Outpatient Clinic, Budapest, Hungary
G. Ostorharics
Affiliation:
Gyõr M.S. Megyei Petz Aladár Hospital, Gyõr, Hungary
*
*Correspondence and reprints: Judit Balázs: jubalazs@freemail.hu
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Summary

Background – Suicide and suicide attempts have been associated to psychiatric illnesses; however, little is known about the role in suicide risk of those symptoms that do not meet the full criteria for a DSM-IV disorder. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of subthreshold psychiatric disorders among suicide attempters in Hungary. Methods – Using a modified structured interview (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) determining 16 Axis I psychiatric diagnoses and their subthreshold forms defined by the DSM-IV and a semistructured interview collecting background information, the authors examined 140 consecutive suicide attempters, aged 18–65 years. Results – Eighty-three-point-six percent of the attempters had one or more current threshold diagnoses on Axis I and in addition more than three-quarters (78.6%) of the subjects had at least one subthreshold diagnosis. Six-point-four percent of the subjects (N = 9) had neither subthreshold nor threshold diagnoses at the time of their suicide attempts. Ten percent of the subjects (N = 14), not meeting the full criteria for any DSM-IV diagnoses, had at least one subthreshold diagnosis. In 68.6% of the subjects (N = 96), both subthreshold and threshold disorders were diagnosed at the time of their suicide attempts. The number of subthreshold and threshold diagnoses were positively and significantly related (χ2 = 5.12, df = 1, P < 0.05). Sixty-three-point-six percent of the individuals received two or more current threshold diagnoses on Axis I and 44.3% of the individuals (N = 62) had two or more subthreshold diagnoses at the time of their suicide attempts. Limitations – The subthreshold definitions in this study included only those forms of the disorders which required the same duration as the criteria DSM-IV disorder with fewer symptoms. Conclusions – Suicide attempts showed a very high prevalence of subthreshold disorders besides psychiatric disorders meeting the full criteria required according to the DSM-IV. Subthreshold forms of mental disorders need to be taken into account in suicide prevention.

Keywords

co-morbidityM.I.N.Isubthreshold diagnosissuicide attempt
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 15 , Issue 6 , September 2000 , pp. 354 - 361
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2000

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