Youth suicide: risk factors, assessment, and treatment of adolescent and young adult suicidal patients.

One of the most difficult clinical problems facing the mental health professional is the prediction and prevention of youth suicide. Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death for young people, ages 15 to 24, in the United States. This article presents several models for understanding youth suicidal behavior including psychologic, sociologic, and biomedical explanations. It summarize what is known about risk factors for adolescent and young adult suicide, including psychiatric diagnosis, personality traits, psychosocial factors, associated medical illnesses, biologic correlates, and family history and genetics. Knowledge about these risk factors will be translated into practical considerations for the treatment of adolescent and young adult suicidal patterns, including psychotherapeutic, psychopharmacologic, and environmental interventions.