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Problem-solving in suicide attempters
1Institute of Medical and Social Care Research, University of Wales, Bangor.
Psychological Medicine
|February 20, 2004
Summary
Suicide attempters show impaired social problem-solving skills, including passivity, which persist regardless of mood changes. These deficits, combined with fewer effective solutions, may increase vulnerability to suicidal behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Suicidal behavior is linked to deficits in social problem-solving.
- Suicide attempters may exhibit passive problem-solving styles.
- The mood dependency of these deficits requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine social problem-solving abilities in suicide attempters, including passivity.
- To determine if social problem-solving deficits in suicide attempters are mood-dependent.
Main Methods:
- Compared suicide attempters with non-suicidal psychiatric and non-psychiatric controls.
- Assessed depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and social problem-solving.
- Repeated assessments at baseline and 6 weeks.
Main Results:
- Suicide attempters demonstrated poorer social problem-solving than psychiatric controls, irrespective of mood.
- Suicidal patients were not significantly more passive than psychiatric controls.
- Problem-solving ability did not improve with mood.
Conclusions:
- Impaired social problem-solving is a characteristic of suicide attempters.
- Passivity in problem-solving, alongside generating fewer effective alternatives, may heighten suicide risk.
- These deficits are not solely dependent on the patient's current mood state.