Sixty-seven adolescent suicide victims and 67 demographically matched living controls were compared as to family constellation, familial stressors and familial loading for psychopathology. Suicide victims were less likely to have lived with both biological parents, were more likely to be exposed to stressors such as parent-child discord, physical abuse and residential instability and showed greater familial loading for depression and substance abuse. Multivariate analyses showed that family history of both depression and substance abuse and lifetime history of parent-child discord were most closely associated with adolescent suicide. Children who are the offspring of parents with depression or substance abuse should be psychiatrically screened. Family interventions to decrease discord may also be helpful in decreasing the risk of adolescent suicide.
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