New Pitt Research Reveals How People at Risk for Suicide Explore Alternative Solutions

A new JAMA Psychiatry study published by Pitt School of Medicine researchers describes patterns of decision-making in people who attempt suicide, focusing on how they explore alternative options. The study is a step toward developing tools for mental health professionals to tailor interventions to patients’ decision patterns.

Behavioral findings from more than 300 participants revealed that individuals who had made serious suicide attempts almost ending in death were unable to shift away from unrewarded choices, under-exploring alternatives. In contrast, individuals who had made less medically serious suicide attempts displayed excessive behavioral shifts.

Dr. Alex Dombrovski was senior author of the study and Dr. Aliona Tsypes was lead author.

Read the full article from Pitt Health Sciences.