One's psychosocial background, including age, has little effect on whether or not a patient with AD develops suicidal symptoms.

The Effects of Psychosocial background of an AD patient on Rates of Suicidality

Suicidal AD patients were more likely to have the suicide of a significant other as their stressor, as well as dysphoric mood, and psychomotor restlessness, prior to their AD diagnosis. Suicidal AD patients also had more substance misuse, aggressive behavior, and anxiety symptoms than non-suicidal AD patients but not enough to reach statistical significance. 

The Effects of Preceding Stressors, Distress  Symptoms, and Behavioral Issues on Rates  of Suicidality Among  AD Patients 

In a group of adolescent AD patients, 9% had attempted suicide, all of which were girls. None of them had run-ins with the law or other psychiatric disorders. However, 37.5% displayed alcohol misuse, 87.5% aggressive behaviour, 12.5 % learning difficulties, and 87.5 % anxiety symptoms.

Adjustment Disorder Patients With Suicide Attempts 

There is a clear link between Adjustment Disorders and Suicidality in both adult and adolescent populations. It has been found that 21% of adolescents who had committed suicide may have had an Adjustment Disorders diagnosis and 9% of adolescents diagnosed with an Adjustment Disorder display suicidal tendencies.

New York University

It is commonly thought that suicide risk in those diagnosed with Adjustment Disorders is lower than in those diagnosed with other mental disorders such as Major Depression. The risk for suicide in those with Adjustment disorders is often short-lived and therefore this risk is not looked at as a reason to bar someone from an early discharge if they have indeed been committed to a psychiatric hospital. However, since suicidality or the suicide process rapidly evolves without prior indications of any such thoughts it is essential to assess suicide risk in those with Adjustment Disorders.

Suicide Risk in Those with Adjustment Disorders


Pelkonen, M., Marttunen, M., Henriksson, M., & Lönnqvist, J. (2005). Suicidality in adjustment disorder: Clinical characteristics of adolescent outpatients. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 14(3), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0457-8 

Suicidality in adjustment disorder: Clinical characteristics of adolescent outpatients.


Ferrer, L., &amp; Kirchner, T. Suicidal Tendency in a Sample of Adolescent Outpatients with Adjustment Disorder: Gender Differences (2014, May 4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.04.017 

Suicidal Tendency in a Sample of Adolescent Outpatients with Adjustment Disorder: Gender Differences

When gender differences are considered while assessing suicidal ideation/tendencies it can be concluded that girls with Adjustment Disorders have higher rates of suicidal symptoms. In contrast, boys with Adjustment Disorders display similar rates to community boys (boys without ADS). This can be demonstrated in a clinical interview with AD patients, where it was found that 24% of them displayed suicidal tendencies, with only 9% having attempted suicide. All those who had attempted were girls. This gender difference is more evident in adolescence than in later stages in life.


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