The impact of intimate partner relationships on suicidal thoughts and behaviours: A systematic review

Journal of Affective Disorders

Volumn 190, Issue , 2016, Pages 585-598

  Kazan, Dominique ^a   Calear, Alison L ^a   Batterham, Philip J ^a  

^a AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

Author keywords

Conflict; Intimate partner relationships; Risk factors; Separation; Suicide; Systematic review

Indexed keywords

BISEXUALITY; HOMOSEXUAL FEMALE; HOMOSEXUAL MALE; HUMAN; HUMAN RELATION; INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION; INTIMACY; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REVIEW; RISK FACTOR; SCREENING; SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR; SUICIDAL IDEATION; SUICIDE ATTEMPT; TRANSGENDER; PSYCHOLOGY; SEXUALITY; SUICIDE;

HUMANS; INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS; RISK FACTORS; SEXUAL PARTNERS; SUICIDAL IDEATION; SUICIDE; SUICIDE, ATTEMPTED;

EID: 84946779873     PISSN: 01650327     EISSN: 15732517     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.003     Document Type: Review

References (81)

1. L.T. Arcel, J. Mantonakis, B. Petersson, J. Jemos, and E. Kaliteraki Suicide attempts among Greek and Danish women and the quality of their relationships with husbands or boyfriends Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 85 3 1992 189 195
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2012a). Marriages and divorces, Australia, 2011 (cat. 3310.0). Retrieved from
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2012b). Causes of death, Australia, 2012 (cat. 3303.0). Retrieved from
4. Australian Institute for Family Studies. (2014). Family facts and figures: Cohabitation.Retrieved from
5. Australian Institute for Family Studies. (2011). Family facts and figures: Divorce. Retrieved from
6. C.L. Bagge, C.R. Glenn, and H.J. Lee Quantifying the impact of recent negative life events on suicide attempts J. Abnorm Psychol. 122 2 2013 359 368 10.1037/a0030371
7. J.G. Barber, E.K. Blackman, C. Talbot, and J. Saebel The themes expressed in suicide calls to a telephone help line Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 39 2 2004 121 125 10.1007/s00127-004-0718-8
8. P.J. Batterham, A.K. Fairweather-Schmidt, P. Butterworth, A.L. Calear, A.J. Mackinnon, and H. Christensen Temporal effects of separation on suicidal thoughts and behaviours Soc. Sci. Med. 111 2014 58 63 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.04.004
9. A.L. Beautrais, P.R. Joyce, and R.T. Mulder Precipitating factors and life events in serious suicide attempts among youths aged 13 through 24 years J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 36 11 1997 1543 1551 10.1016/s0890-8567(09)66563-1
10. J.W. Bonnar, and R.K. McGee Suicidal behavior as a form of communication in married couples Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 7 1 1977 7 16
11. J. Bookwala, and R. Schulz Spousal similarity in subjective well-being: the Cardiovascular Health Study Psychol. Aging 11 4 1996 582 590
12. D.A. Brent, J.A. Perper, G. Moritz, M. Baugher, C. Roth, L. Balach, and J. Schweers Stressful life events, psychopathology, and adolescent suicide: A case control study Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 23 3 1993 179 187
13. A. Busuttil, J.O. Obafunwa, and A. Ahmed Suicidal inhalation of vehicular exhaust in the Lothian and Borders region of Scotland Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 13 8 1994 545 550
14. S.S. Canetto, L.B. Feldman, and R.L. Lupei Suicidal persons and their partners: Individual and interpersonal dynamics Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 19 3 1989 237 248
15. S.S. Canetto, and D. Lester Love and achievement motives in women's and men's suicide notes J. Psychol. 136 5 2002 573 576 10.1080/00223980209605552
16. C.H. Cantor, and P.J. Slater Marital breakdown, parenthood, and suicide J. Fam. Stud. 1 2 1995 91 102 10.5172/jfs.1.2.91
17. D. Carr, V.A. Freedman, J.C. Cornman, and N. Schwarz Happy marriage, happy life? Marital quality and subjective well-being in later life J. Marriage Fam. 76 5 2014 930 948 10.1111/jomf.12133
18. B.H. Chia, A. Chia, and B.C. Tai Suicide letters in Singapore Arch. Suicide Res. 12 1 2008 74 81 10.1080/13811110701801069
19. K.H. Choi, S.M. Wang, B. Yeon, S.Y. Suh, Y. Oh, H.K. Lee, and K.U. Lee Risk and protective factors predicting multiple suicide attempts Psychiatry Res. 210 3 2013 957 961 10.1016/j.psychres.2013.09.026
20. E.C. Copen, K. Daniels, J. Vespa., and W.D. Mosher First marriages in the United States: Data from the 2006-2010 national survey of family growth National Health Statistic Report 2012 Report No 49
21. D. Cupina Life events, gender and suicidal behaviours in the acute community setting Australas. Psychiatry 17 3 2009 233 236 10.1080/10398560802680746
22. T.K. Daradkeh, and N. Al-Zayer Parasuicide in an Arab industrial community: The Arabian-American Oil Company experience, Saudi Arabia Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 77 6 1988 707 711
23. M.S. Davis, V.J. Callanan, D. Lester, and J. Haines An inquiry into relationship suicides and reciprocity Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 39 5 2009 482 498 10.1521/suli.2009.39.5.482
24. K.M. Devries, J.Y. Mak, L.J. Bacchus, J.C. Child, G. Falder, M. Petzold, and C.H. Watts Intimate partner violence and incident depressive symptoms and suicide attempts: a systematic review of longitudinal studies Plos. Med. 10 5 2013 e1001439
25. S.D. Edwards, R.W. Cheetham, L.R. Naidoo, and J.A. Griffiths Parasuicide in the Durban Indian community S Afr. Med. J. 60 6 1981 241 243
26. Eurostat. (2014). Marriage and divorce statistics. Retreived from
27. R. Evans, J. Scourfield, and G. Moore Gender, relationship breakdown, and suicide risk: A review of research in western countries J. Fam. Issues. 2014 10.1177/0192513x14562608
28. R. Fieldsend, and E. Lowenstein Quarrels, separations and infidelity in the two days preceding self-poisoning episodes Br. J. Med. Psychol. 54 1 1981 349 352 10.1111/j.2044-8341.1981.tb02573.x
29. E.C. Harris, and B. Barraclough Suicide as an outcome for mental disorders. A meta-analysis Br. J. Psychiatry 170 3 1997 205 228 10.1192/bjp.170.3.205
30. C. Haw, and K. Hawton Life problems and deliberate self-harm: Associations with gender, age, suicidal intent and psychiatric and personality disorder J. Affect. Disord. 109 1-2 2008 139 148 10.1016/j.jad.2007.12.224
31. K. Hawton J. Fagg. Suicide, other causes death, attempted suicide 152 1988.
32. M. Heikkinen, H. Aro, and J. Lönnqvist The partners' views on precipitant stressors in suicide Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 85 5 1992 380 384 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb10323.x
33. M. Heikkinen, H. Aro, and J. Lönnqvist Recent life events and their role in suicide as seen by the spouses Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 86 6 1992 489 494 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03303.x
34. K. Hilari, J.J. Needle, and K.L. Harrison What are the important factors in health-related quality of life for people with aphasia? A systematic review Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 93 1 Suppl 2012 S86 S95 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.05.028
35. K. Houston, K. Hawton, and R. Shepperd Suicide in young people aged 15-24: A psychological autopsy study J. Affect. Disord. 63 1-3 2001 159 170 10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00175-0
36. J. Hyman, R. Ireland, L. Frost, and L. Cottrell Suicide incidence and risk factors in an active duty US military population Am. J. public health 102 S1 2012 S138 S146
37. N. Ide, M. Wyder, K. Kõlves, and D. De Leo Separation as an important risk factor for suicide: A systematic review J. Fam. Issues 31 12 2010 1689 1716
38. T. Joiner Why people die by suicide 2005 US: Harvard University Press Cambridge, MA
39. M.S. Kaplan, B.H. McFarland, N. Huguet, and M. Valenstein Suicide risk and precipitating circumstances among young, middle-aged, and older male veterans Am. J. public health 102 S1 2012 S131 S137
40. D.L. Karch, J. Logan, D.D. McDaniel, C.F. Floyd, and K.J. Vagi Precipitating circumstances of suicide among youth aged 10-17 years by sex: Data from the national violent death reporting system, 16 states, 2005-2008 J. Adolesc. Health 53 1 2013 S51 S53
41. M. Keyvanara, and A. Haghshenas The sociocultural contexts of attempting suicide among women in Iran Health care women Int. 31 9 2010 771 783
42. M. Keyvanara, and A. Haghshenas Sociocultural contexts of attempting suicide among Iranian youth: A qualitative study EMHJ 17 6 2011
43. K. Kõlves, N. Ide, and D. De Leo Marital breakdown, shame, and suicidality in men: A direct link? Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 41 2 2011 149 159 10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00021.x
44. K. Kõlves, N. Ide, and D. De Leo Fluctuations of suicidality in the aftermath of a marital separation: 6-month follow-up observations J. Affect. Disord. 142 1 2012 256 263
45. M.S. Krajnc, I. Schmidt, A. Gregoric, and I. Dogsa Suicide attempts in Slovenian juveniles, 1978-1994 Nord. J. Psychiatry 52 6 1998 487 492
46. Ö. Kurtaş, Ş. Boşgelmez, I. Yaluʇ, I. Birincioʇlu, Ü. Biçer, T. Aker, and S. Yahşi The evaluation of suicide letters in Turkey from a cognitive perspective Crisis: J. Crisis Interv. Suicide Prev. 33 2 2012 73 79
47. D. Lester, P. Wood, C. Williams, and J. Haines Motives for suicide - a study of Australian suicide notes Crisis: J. Crisis Interv. Suicide Prev. 25 1 2004 33 34
48. J. Logan, J. Hall, and D. Karch Suicide categories by patterns of known risk factors: A latent class analysis Arch. Gen. psychiatry 68 9 2011 935 941
49. S. Lorensini, and G. Bates Relationship difficulties and unemployment in attempted suicide in an Australian regional center Psychol. reports 90 3 2002 923 929
50. E. Mandal, and K. Zalewska Childhood violence, experience of loss and hurt in close relationships at adulthood and emotional rejection as risk factors of suicide attempts among women Arch. Psychiatry Psychother. 3 2012 45 50
51. C. Markey, P. Markey, and H. Gray Romantic relationships and health: An examination of individuals' perceptions of their romantic partners' influences on their health Sex. Roles 57 5-6 2007 435 445 10.1007/s11199-007-9266-5
52. J.S. Martin, M. Ghahramanlou-Holloway, D.R. Englert, J.L. Bakalar, C. Olsen, E.M. Nademin, and S. Branlund Marital status, life stressor precipitants, and communications of distress and suicide intent in a sample of United States Air Force suicide decedents Arch. suicide Res. 17 2 2013 148 160
53. J.S. McDaniel, D. Purcell, and A.R. D'Augelli The relationship between sexual orientation and risk for suicide: Research findings and future directions for research and prevention Suicide Life -Threat. Behav. 31 1 2001 84 105
54. J. McLaughlin, R. O'Carroll, and R. O'Connor Intimate partner abuse and suicidality: A systematic review Clin. Psychol. Rev. 32 8 2012 677 689
55. National Centre for Health Statistics. (2012). National marriage and divorce rate trends.Retrieved from
56. P. Osvath, V. Vörös, and S. Fekete Life events and psychopathology in a group of suicide attempters Psychopathology 37 1 2003 36 40
57. D. Owens, J. Horrocks, and A. House Fatal and non-fatal repetition of self-harm Syst. Rev. 181 3 2002 193 199 10.1192/bjp.181.3.193
58. E.S. Paykel, B.A. Prusoff, and J.K. Myers Suicide attempts and recent life events: A controlled comparison Arch. Gen. psychiatry 32 3 1975 327 333
59. E.S. Paykel, B.A. Prusoff, and E. Uhlenhuth Scaling of life events Arch. Gen. psychiatry 25 4 1971 340 347
60. J. Popay, H. Roberts, A. Sowden, M. Petticrew, L. Arai, M. Rodgers, and et al. Guidance on the conduct of narrative synthesis in systematic reviews Final Report Lancaster, Institute of Health Research 2006 ESRC Methods Programme Lancaster
61. T.F. Robles, and J.K. Kiecolt-Glaser The physiology of marriage: Pathways to health Physiol. Behav. 79 3 2003 409 416 10.1016/S0031-9384(03)00160-4
62. C.W. Runyan, K.E. Moracco, L. Dulli, and J. Butts Suicide among North Carolina women, 1989-93: information from two data sources Inj. Prev. 9 1 2003 67 72
63. S.E. Sandberg-Thoma, and C.M. Kamp Dush Indicators of adolescent depression and relationship progression in emerging adulthood J. Marriage Fam. 76 1 2014 191 206
64. M. Séguin, G. Beauchamp, M. Robert, M. DiMambro, and G. Turecki Developmental model of suicide trajectories Br. J. Psychiatry 205 2 2014 120 126
65. M. Shiner, J. Scourfield, B. Fincham, and S. Langer When things fall apart: Gender and suicide across the life-course Soc. Sci. Med. 69 5 2009 738 746
66. D.M. Skerrett, K. Kõlves, and D. De Leo Suicides among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations in Australia: An analysis of the Queensland Suicide Register Asia-Pacific Psychiatry 6 4 2014 440 446
67. D.M. Skerrett, K. Kõlves, and D. De Leo Are LGBT populations at a higher risk for suicidal behaviours in Australia? Research findings and implications J. Homosex. 62 7 2015 883 901
68. B. Soller Caught in a Bad Romance Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Mental Health J. Health Soc. Behav. 55 1 2014 56 72
69. S. Stack, and J. Scourfield Recency of divorce, depression, and suicide risk J. Fam. Issues 36 6 2015 695 715 10.1177/0192513x13494824
70. B.J. Stephens Suicidal women and their relationships with husbands, boyfriends, and lovers Suicide Life -Threat. Behav. 15 2 1985 77 90
71. A. Tavite, and S. Tavite Suicide in the Tokelau islands Pac. health dialog 15 2 2009 67 83
72. K.A. Van Orden, T.K. Witte, K.C. Cukrowicz, S. Braithwaite, E.A. Selby, and T.E. Joiner The interpersonal theory of suicide Psychol. Rev. 117 2 2010 575 600 10.1037/a0018697
73. K.F. Weyrauch, P. Roy-Byrne, W. Katon, and L. Wilson Stressful life events and impulsiveness in failed suicide Suicide Life -Threat. Behav. 31 3 2001 311 319
74. M. Whisman, and D. Baucom Intimate Relationships and Psychopathology Clin. Child. Fam. Psychol. Rev. 15 1 2012 4 13 10.1007/s10567-011-0107-2
75. M.A. Whisman Relationship discord and the prevalence, incidence, and treatment of psychopathology J. Soc. Pers. Relationships 30 2 2013 163 170 10.1177/0265407512455269
76. M.A. Whisman, and L.A. Uebelacker Impairment and distress associated with relationship discord in a national sample of married or cohabiting adults J. Fam. Psychol. 20 3 2006 369
77. M.A. Whisman, and L.A. Uebelacker Prospective associations between marital discord and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults Psychol. Aging 24 1 2009 184 189 10.1037/a0014759
78. World Health Organisation. (2012). Mental health: Suicide Data. Retrieved from
79. M. Wyder, P. Ward, and D. De Leo Separation as a suicide risk factor J. Affect. Disord. 116 3 2009 208 213
80. Z.S. Yaseen, K. Fisher, E. Morales, and I.I. Galynker Love and suicide: the structure of the affective intensity rating scale (AIRS) and its relation to suicidal behavior Plos ONE 7 8 2012 e44069
81. J. Zhang, and Z. Ma Patterns of life events preceding the suicide in rural young Chinese: A case control study J. Affect. Disord. 140 2 2012 161 167