Suicidal attempts and stressful life events among women in a homeless situation in Madrid (Spain).

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the relationship between suffering from stressful life events (SLE) and subsequent suicidal behavior among women in a homeless situation, examining the differences in the number and characteristics of SLE experienced by attempters and nonattempters. The study was carried out based on the data obtained from a sample of women living homeless in Madrid (Spain; n = 138). The information was gathered using a structured interview. The results show that 46% of these women living homeless in Madrid had attempted suicide, and 32% of them had done so for the first time when they were homeless. We observed a high level of SLE among the women in a homeless situation, with a substantial increase in the number and severity of the stressors suffered by the interviewees who had attempted suicide, both during their childhood and adolescence and in their later lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).