Ricerc@Sapienza

Suicide and suicidal behaviour are among the most frequent and serious complications in severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia in which reported lifetime suicide risk ranges from 4 to 10%. This is even more excruciating in developmental years, since adolescents with psychosis are at higher risk for suicide than adults with psychotic disorders and nearly 70 times more likely to attempt suicide than peers in the general population. Evaluating suicidal ideation during the high psychotic risk period is important. Indeed, it has been shown that the risk of suicide is elevated at the onset of FEP  and about 5% of patients with new onset or first admission schizophrenia die from suicide. Furthermore, 2-11% of schizophrenic patients attempt suicide in the first year of in the first year after admission to the early psychosis program. Therefore, early diagnosis of FEP and UHR mental states, even only aimed at promoting adherence to therapy, can also contribute to reduce the risk of suicide .