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Temperamental vulnerability and suicide risk after attempted suicide
P Nordström1, P Gustavsson, G Edman
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Individuals who attempt suicide may exhibit temperamental vulnerabilities such as anxiety, impulsivity, and low socialization. These traits, along with low cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5-HIAA), are linked to increased suicide risk.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neurochemistry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Recent findings suggest temperamental features in individuals with a history of attempted suicide.
- Understanding vulnerability domains is crucial for suicide risk assessment after an attempt.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend previous research on temperamental characteristics in suicide attempters.
- To investigate potential vulnerability factors for suicide risk following a suicide attempt.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-four psychiatric inpatients hospitalized post-suicide attempt were studied.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentrations were analyzed via lumbar puncture.
- The Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) was administered before hospital discharge.
Main Results:
- Suicide attempters reported high levels of anxiety (Somatic, Psychic) and muscular tension, and low socialization.
- Overall long-term suicide mortality after attempted suicide was 13%, with 5 early suicides within 3 years.
- Significant correlations were found between survival time, CSF 5-HIAA, and KSP scores (Somatic Anxiety, Impulsivity, Socialization).
Conclusions:
- Temperamental vulnerability factors for suicide risk post-attempt may include anxiety proneness, impulsivity, and low socialization.
- Low CSF 5-HIAA levels were correlated with survival time and KSP Socialization scores in early suicides.
- These findings highlight specific personality traits and neurochemical markers associated with heightened suicide risk after an attempt.