Suicidal Behavior in Surviving Co-Twins

• Published in: Twin research and human genetics Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 642 - 645
• Main Authors: Pompili, Maurizio, Galeandro, Piera Maria, Lester, David, Tatarelli, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-10-2006
• Subjects: Family relationships; Genetic factors; Genetics, Behavioral; Genotypes; Grief; Humans; Psychological aspects; Risk; Risk factors; Suicidal behavior; Suicide; Suicide - psychology; Suicide victims; Suicides & suicide attempts; Survivors - psychology; Teenagers; Treatment; Twins; Twins - psychology
• ISSN: 1832-4274; 1839-2628
• DOI: 10.1375/twin.9.5.642

Recent research has provided strong support for the existence of a familial risk for suicide, and efforts have been made to separate genetic from enviromental risk factors. Twin studies have played a major role in the identification of genetic factors, and the results indicate that the concordance rate for suicide is higher in identical than in fraternal twins (Baldessarini & Hennen, 2004). Moreover, Segal and Roy (1995) reported a significantly higher frequency of nonfatal suicidal attempts by monozygotic (MZ) than by dyzygotic (DZ) twins whose co-twins had committed suicide. However, doubts remain as to whether the increased risk of suicide in MZ twins is a response to the intense grief over the loss of a close relative, or whether a common genotype is associated with suicidal behavior. Sudden loss, which may carry a stigma in the case of a suicide, has been linked to increased persistent emotional stress and physiological changes (Epstein, 1993; Martin & Dean, 1993). A number of researchers have reported greater suicidal ideation among bereaved MZ twins as compared to DZ twins, suggesting that a loss due to suicide may increase the risk of suicidal behavior in the surviving co-twin (Segal & Bouchard, 1993; Segal & Roy, 1995; Segal et al., 1995). The aim of the present article is to address the issue of the intense grief experienced by twins after the co-twin suicide.