Stronger psychological strains increase the odds of suicide death: A comparison between suicides and suicide attempters

Aim: This study was aimed to compare the psychological strains between suicides and suicide attempters, so as to verify the hypothesis whether the stronger psychological strains increase the odds of suicide death.

Method: The suicide data were collected by a psychological autopsy (PA) study, and the suicide attempt data were from the same rural areas in China. Information was obtained with face to face structured questionnaires interviews. A social value conflict scale, measures of aspiration and deprivation, and Moos's Coping Response Inventory (CRI) were used to measure psychological strains. The Spearman correlation and Logistic regression method were applied to analyse and estimate the odds ratio (OR) of fatality of suicide behaviours from psychological strains.

Results: The value strain, aspiration strain, deprivation strain, and coping strain were all significantly stronger among the suicides than suicide attempters (P < 0.001). Each psychological strain had statistical correlation with suicide behaviour (P < 0.001). The univariable and multivariable Logistic regressions all indicated that rural residence, being never married, and the psychological strains were the independent lethality factors of suicidal behaviours.

Conclusions: Psychological strains were the independent lethality factors of suicide behaviours. Stronger psychological strains increase the odds of suicide death. The intervention based on the Strain Theory of Suicide could decrease the odds risk of suicide death.