Impulsivity as a Risk Factor for Suicidality in Depressed Patients

Abstract

Introduction

Suicide behavior is an important and preventable cause of injury, disability and death in the world, and, at the same time, a major economic and social burden for modern societies. The majority of suicide attempts and completions are associated with psychiatric disorders, especially major depressive episode. Impulsivity has been associated with suicidality in major depressive disorder patients.

Aim

The current study aims to evaluate impulsivity in major depressive disorder patients with a history of suicide attempts as compared to major depressive disorder patients without a history of suicide attempts.

Methods

One hundred and twelve patients with major depressive disorder, aged 51.91 ± 10.72 (70% females) were included through convenient sampling procedure from the patient population of the 3rd Psychiatry Clinic of the Cluj County Emergency Hospital. Impulsivity was assessed through Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11).

Results

In total, 27.8% of the patients had a history of suicide attempts. Significant differences between the two groups were obtained only for the Perseverance subscale of the BIS-11. (12.7 ± 1.8 vs. 7.13 ± 2.1, P = 0.005–Mann Whitney U-test).

Conclusions

Perseverance might be a discriminating element between patients that eventually commit a suicide attempt and those that do not.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.