Maternal Suicidality and Suicide Risk in Offspring

A considerable number of studies linking family history and high risk for suicide have reported that suicidality runs in families. Community studies that avoid a selection effect confirm these findings. These results seem independent of comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders. Furthermore, the results are stable over treatment settings, different age groups, and gender. Community studies interviewing families directly (family interview method) are primarily focused on maternal suicidality and suicidality in offspring. Two studies observed some indications for suicide attempts in young offspring of mothers (and fathers) who had attempted suicide compared with offspring of mothers who had no suicidality.