Adolescent Suicide

Even the most skilled therapist may underestimate suicide potential. Careful assessment and competent psychiatric intervention cannot always predict the suicidality of a particular person. Adolescent Suicide (GAP Report 140) presents techniques that allow psychiatrists and all those caring for the health and welfare of adolescents to respond to signals of distress with timely therapeutic intervention. It also suggests measures of anticipatory prevention. Adolescent Suicide presents an overview of adolescent suicidal behavior. It explores risk factors, the identification and evaluation of the suicidal adolescent, and approaches to therapy. It offers both historical and cross-cultural perspectives, the relevance of suicide to adolescent development, mental health training needs regarding suicidality, and related issues such as public health policies and medicolegal concerns. The risk of suicide presents a unique crisis in adolescent development. For this reason, all mental health professionals will find this report an indispensable tool in the treatment of adolescents at risk for suicide. Drawing from years of combined experience, this committee has applied its expertise on adolescent development to the sobering problem of suicide.