Funcionamiento familiar en adolescentes en riesgo de suicidio con rasgos de personalidad límite: un estudio exploratorio

Abstract

espanolLa alta prevalencia de suicidio en poblacion adolescente en todo el mundo supone un reto mundial en salud mental. El ambiente familiar ha sido senalado como una importante variable implicada en el riesgo de suicidio de los adolescentes, ejerciendo tanto de factor de riesgo como protector. El estudio tiene como objetivo entender que variables del funcionamiento familiar de la Escala de Clima Social en la Familia se relacionan con la puntuacion de la Escala de Ideacion Suicida de Beck en una muestra 37 adolescentes entre 14 y 18 anos (M = 15.76; DT = 1.07) con rasgos de personalidad limite. Se partio de la hipotesis de que peores niveles de funcionamiento familiar aumentarian el riesgo de suicidio. Los resultados mostraron que la ideacion suicida era mayor cuando las puntuaciones en la escala Relaciones (calidad de la comunicacion e interaccion) en la familia eran menores. Al analizar cada escala, se demostro la importancia especifica de la subescala Expresividad, referida al grado de expresion libre de los sentimientos en la familia de forma que, a menor expresividad en la familia, mayor ideacion suicida presentaban los adolescentes, y la subescala Social-Recreativa, referida a la participacion social y en actividades de ocio de la familia, de modo que a mayor participacion social, menor riesgo suicida. Estos resultados son apoyados por otros estudios que demuestran la importancia de modificar el entorno familiar para influir en el riesgo suicida de los adolescentes. El valor de estos datos implica la consideracion de incluir a las familias en los programas de tratamiento para adolescentes suicidas. EnglishFamily functioning in suicidal adolescents with borderline personality traits. High prevalence of suicide in adolescent population all over the world is considered a world challenge in mental health. Family environment has been pointed as an important factor involved in adolescents’ suicide risk, playing a role not only as a risk factor but also as protective. This study has its goal on understanding which factors of the family functioning, measured by the Social Environment in the Family Scale, are related to the total score of the Beck Suicide Ideation Scale in a sample of 37 adolescents with ages between 14 and 17 years old (M = 15.76; SD = 1.06) borderline personality traits. It was hypothesized that worse levels of family functioning will increase suicide risk in adolescents. Results showed that the risk of suicide was higher when the Relationships Scale total score (quality of communication and interaction in the family) was lower. After analyzing each subscale separately, it was demonstrated the specific relevance of Expressivity Subscale, referred to the level of free expression of feelings in the family, suggesting that the lower expressivity in the family, the higher suicide ideation showed by the adolescents, and Social-Recreative, referred to the social participation and leisure of the family, what means the more social participation, the less suicide ideation. These results are supported by other studies that show the relevance of modifying the family environment for reducing the suicidal risk among adolescents. The value of this data involves taking into account the families in the treatment programs for suicidal adolescents