Suicide Ideations, Suicide Attempts, and Completed Suicide in Persons with Pathological Gambling and Their First-Degree Relatives

Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2015 Dec;45(6):700-9. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12162. Epub 2015 Apr 6.

Abstract

We examined the relationship between suicidal ideations and attempts in 95 probands with pathological gambling (PG), 91 controls, and 1075 first-degree relatives. The results were analyzed using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations. Thirty-four PG probands (35.8%) and 4 controls (4.4%) had attempted suicide (OR = 12.12, p < .001); in 13 probands, the attempt occurred before PG onset. Lifetime suicidal ideations occurred in 60 PG probands (63.2%) and 12 controls (13.2%) (OR = 11.29, p < .001). Suicidality in PG probands is a marker of PG severity and is associated with greater psychiatric comorbidity. Offspring of PG probands had significantly higher rates of suicide attempts than control offspring.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age of Onset
  • Child of Impaired Parents* / psychology
  • Child of Impaired Parents* / statistics & numerical data
  • Comorbidity
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Gambling* / complications
  • Gambling* / diagnosis
  • Gambling* / epidemiology
  • Gambling* / psychology
  • Humans
  • Interview, Psychological / methods
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Suicide Prevention*
  • Suicide* / psychology
  • Suicide* / statistics & numerical data
  • Suicide, Attempted* / prevention & control
  • Suicide, Attempted* / psychology
  • Suicide, Attempted* / statistics & numerical data
  • United States / epidemiology