This application is in response to NIH Program Announcement 03 161 """"""""Research on the reduction and prevention of suicidality"""""""" that was co-sponsored by NIAAA. Individuals with alcohol dependence are at high risk for both attempted and completed suicide. Patients in intensive treatment for alcoholism are at especially high risk. The purpose of this project is to enhance understanding of suicidal behavior among patients seeking treatment for alcohol dependence both by illuminating major differences between suicidal and non-suicidal individuals as well as by examining sources of heterogeneity within attempters.
In Aim 1, the roles of reactive and proactive aggression in attempted suicide are examined, and in Aim 2, the focus is on the experience of aloneness, assessed objectively as living alone and subjectively as """"""""loneliness."""""""" In Aim 3, a model of suicide planning that incorporates these variables is evaluated that posits reactive aggression and acute interpersonal difficulties (e.g., partner relationship break-ups) lead to low-planned (impulsive) suicide attempts in this population whereas depression and aloneness create the conditions for high-planned attempts.
The aims are carried out using a retrospective case-control study design. Subjects in inpatient treatment for alcohol dependence who have made a suicide attempt within 90 days of treatment are identified using a uniform screen and followed up with a detailed research interview about the act of suicide, its circumstances, and hypothesized risk factors (e.g., reactive aggression). Non-attempter controls are recruited for comparison. Subjects include 40% women, 39% black individuals, and most are economically disadvantaged. Data on severity of alcohol dependence and other drug use are obtained, and accounted for in all analyses. Multivariate logistic regression analyses are used to compare cases and controls in Aims 1 and 2, and multivariate linear regression analyses of cases assessed on a continuum of level of planning of the attempt are used in Aim 3. Patterns related to age, gender, and race are also explored. Results may advance research on suicide and alcoholism focused on the reactive aggression phenotype, underscore the critical need to consider the interpersonal life of individuals seeking treatment for alcoholism who may be at risk for suicide, and inform treatments that seek to identify and affect the course of low-planned and high-planned suicidal behavior in this population. ? ? ?
| Conner, Kenneth R; Bossarte, Robert M; He, Hua et al. (2014) Posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide in 5.9 million individuals receiving care in the veterans health administration health system. J Affect Disord 166:1-5 |
| Conner, Kenneth R; Gamble, Stephanie A; Bagge, Courtney L et al. (2014) Substance-induced depression and independent depression in proximal risk for suicidal behavior. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 75:567-72 |
| Britton, Peter C; Bohnert, Amy S B; Wines Jr, James D et al. (2012) A procedure that differentiates unintentional from intentional overdose in opioid abusers. Addict Behav 37:127-30 |
| Conner, Kenneth R; Houston, Rebecca J; Swogger, Marc T et al. (2012) Stressful life events and suicidal behavior in adults with alcohol use disorders: role of event severity, timing, and type. Drug Alcohol Depend 120:155-61 |
| Zhang, Yali; Conner, Kenneth R; Phillips, Michael R (2012) Case-control study in China of risk factors for suicide in men with alcohol use disorders. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 73:15-20 |
| You, Sungeun; Van Orden, Kimberly A; Conner, Kenneth R (2011) Social connections and suicidal thoughts and behavior. Psychol Addict Behav 25:180-4 |
| Conner, Kenneth R; Gunzler, Douglas; Tang, Wan et al. (2011) Test of a clinical model of drinking and suicidal risk. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 35:60-8 |
| Britton, Peter C; Wines Jr, James D; Conner, Kenneth R (2010) Non-fatal overdose in the 12 months following treatment for substance use disorders. Drug Alcohol Depend 107:51-5 |
| Britton, Peter C; Conner, Kenneth R (2010) Suicide attempts within 12 months of treatment for substance use disorders. Suicide Life Threat Behav 40:14-21 |
| Gamble, Stephanie A; Conner, Kenneth R; Talbot, Nancy L et al. (2010) Effects of pretreatment and posttreatment depressive symptoms on alcohol consumption following treatment in Project MATCH. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 71:71-7 |
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