Assessing suicide risk in cluster C personality disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Personality disorders are associated with increased suicide risk.
• Cluster C personality disorders include avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive traits.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding suicide risk in cluster C personality disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific cluster C personality disorders and suicide attempts in psychiatric outpatients.
• To compare suicide risk across different personality disorder clusters (A, B, and C).
• To determine if comorbid depressive disorders influence the relationship between personality disorders and suicide attempts.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 142 psychiatric outpatients was assessed.
• Participants were categorized based on personality disorder diagnoses (Cluster C, A, B) and Axis I disorders.
• Suicide attempts were recorded, and analyses controlled for lifetime and current depressive disorder severity.

Main Results:

• Dependent personality disorder was significantly associated with suicide attempts.
• Cluster A and B personality disorders were also significantly associated with suicide attempts.
• The association between Cluster A and B disorders and suicide attempts remained significant after controlling for depression, but this was not the case for dependent personality disorder.

Conclusions:

• Dependent personality disorder, alongside Cluster A and B disorders, warrants careful suicide risk assessment.
• Suicide risk assessment in Cluster C personality disorders may be less critical if comorbid depressive disorders are adequately managed.
• Further research is needed to clarify the complex interplay between personality disorders, depression, and suicidality.