Suicide
Suicide is the leading cause of death in youth in Australia. Despite greater awareness and a focus on this critical issue over the past decade, the impact of current prevention strategies is yet to be realised. Therefore, our reconceptualisation of suicide as a process rather than event is of critical importance as it is likely to lead to a significant change.
With the assistance of funding from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we first developed a novel suicide model. Our model captures the features that characterise each of the sequential psychological states that culminate in suicide. Our research has also shown that suicide attempts alter brain architecture and increase the susceptibility of the individual to future suicide attempts.
Research
In the context of mood disorders, our research aims to:
Uncover the mechanisms that drive progression through the suicide process.
Identify targets for early detection and intervention.
Develop an assessment tool to map the factors that contribute to each component of the suicide process.
The significance of this research
Capturing pertinent factors characterising the various stages of the process will have predictive and prognostic value.
It will aid prevention and effective treatment.
Relevant publications
If you are interested in our published research, please contact us here.
