Differences between informants about type a, anger, and social support and the relationship with blood pressure

Studying Chinese suicide with proxy-based data: reliability and validity of the methodology and instruments in China

This study examined the reliability and validity of the instruments as used in the psychological autopsy method in China. With data from 130 informants on 66 completed suicides and 130 informants on 66 normal community controls and 66 controls themselves, the validity was examined by comparing the responses of informants and the responses (gold standards) of the target participants in the control group. All the tested instruments were shown to be reliable, and proxy respondents were generally good judges of targets' suicidal intention, social support, depression, life events, personality traits, and mental disorders. Additionally, interrater reliabilities of the five interviewers were very good on selected scales. This study has laid a partial foundation for future psychological autopsy projects to be held in Chinese culture.

The validity of proxy-based data in suicide research: a study of patients 50 years of age and older who attempted suicide. II. Life events, social support and suicidal behavior

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the validity of proxy respondent reports of stressful life events, social support and suicidal behavior among individuals who attempted suicide.

METHOD

Subjects were 80 psychiatric in-patients admitted following a suicide attempt. Data based on structured interviews with proxy respondents were compared with data based on interviews with subjects (gold standard).

RESULTS

Specificity was higher than sensitivity across life event categories, and agreement was substantial for public and observable events (e.g. parent's death) but lower for more ambiguous events. Proxies were good judges of subject reports of frequency of social interaction but not perceived emotional support. Proxies were good judges of past history of suicide attempts and level of suicidal intent.

CONCLUSION

Results support proxy-based data on suicidal behavior and certain aspects of social support and stressful life events in research of suicidal behavior in this age group, with potential implications for interpreting postmortem research of completed suicide.