Role of Cognitive Factors and Distortions in Adolescent Suicides

Suicide is one of the leading causes of adolescent death and is an important clinical problem. According to World Health Organization, it is the third most common cause of death for 15-44 age group worldwide and is the second most common cause of death for 15-24 age group in Turkey. The presence of a psychiatric disorder and previous suicidal acts, social, cultural and family related factors are well known predictors of suicide. However, cognitive developmental level and schemes are as important as the other factors. For prevention and treatment, it is essential to understand cognitive factors that lead adolescents to suicide. Cognitive factors and distortions that might have a role in adolescent suicides are hopelessness, problem solving deficits, cognitive rigidity, dichotomous thinking, perfectionism, personalizing, and catastrophising and time perspective. In this article, adolescent suicide and related cognitive factors are briefly reviewed.