This paper describes the findings from cases of Iranian children between the age of 6-15 who were attempted suicide.

This retrospective study was carried out using data from 292 cases (239 girls and 53 boys) aged 6-15 who attempted suicide and were referred to the Loghman Hakim Medical Centre poison Centre in Tehran, Iran between 2005 and 2008. The Children Suicide Questionnaire was applied.

The study showed that the percentage of girls who attempted suicide was 81.8% against 12.2% for boys. Most of them attempted suicide between the age of12-14 years. Approximately half (43%) of the children came from a poor socio-economic background, and 95% of suicide attempts took place in the home, and 55.5% between 6.00pm and 12.00 pm. 41% of the respondents reported cases of mental illness in their family. The study also showed that41.6% of the children had attempted suicide before, and 36.6% of them attempted suicide after a family argument.. Depression (28%) and epilepsy(27%) were the most cited cases of personal problems. The means used were antiepileptic drugs (23%), benzodiazepine (23%), and antidepressants (20%).

This study suggests the collaboration between paediatricians, psychiatrists and psychologists are necessary.

The current study aims to test the hypothesis: Is suicide predictable? And try to classify the predictive factors in multiple suicide attempts.

A cross-sectional study was administered to 223 multiple attempters, women who came to a medical poison centre after a suicide attempt. The participants were young, poor, and single. A Regression Logistic Test was used to classify the predictive factors of suicide.

Women who had multiple suicide attempts exhibited a significant tendency to attempt suicide again. They had a history for more than two years of multiple suicide attempts, from three to as many as 18 times, plus mental illnesses such as depression and substance abuse. They also had a positive history of mental illnesses.

Results indicate that contributing factors for another suicide attempt include previous suicide attempts, mental illness (depression), or a positive history of mental illnesses in the family affecting them at a young age, and substance abuse.

Evidence suggests a relationship between exposure to trauma during childhood and functional impairments in psychotic patients. However, the impact of age at the time of exposure has been understudied in early psychosis (EP) patients.

Two hundred and twenty-five patients aged 18–35 years were assessed at baseline and after 2, 6, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months of treatment. Patients exposed to sexual and/or physical abuse (SPA) were classified according to age at the time of first exposure (Early SPA: before age 11 years; Late SPA: between ages 12 and 15 years) and then compared to patients who were not exposed to such trauma (Non-SPA). The functional level in the premorbid phase was measured with the Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS) and with the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale and the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) during follow-up.

There were 24.8% of patients with a documented history of SPA. Late SPA patients were more likely to be female (p = 0.010). Comparison with non-SPA patients revealed that: (1) both Early and Late SPA groups showed poorer premorbid social functioning during early adolescence, and (2) while patients with Early SPA had poorer functional level at follow-up with lower GAF (p = 0.025) and lower SOFAS (p = 0.048) scores, Late SPA patients did not.

Our results suggest a link between exposure to SPA and the later impairment of social functioning before the onset of the disease. EP patients exposed to SPA before age 12 may present long-lasting functional impairment, while patients exposed at a later age may improve in this regard and have a better functional outcome.