Dimensions of Impulsivity and Aggression Associated with Suicide Attempts Among Bipolar Patients: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Impulsivity and hostility are often thought to be interrelated among depressed patients with suicidal behavior, but few studies have examined this relationship empirically. In this study, we assessed trait impulsivity and hostility among 52 DSM-IV bipolar subjects with and without histories of suicide attempts. Impulsivity and hostility were correlated among attempters (r = .41, p = .03) but not non-attempters (r = .22, p = .28). As compared to non-attempters, attempters had significantly higher levels of overall hostility, more extensive subcomponents of hostility, and a trend toward higher overall impulsivity. Associations between lifetime suicide attempts and overall hostility were significant while controlling for current depression severity and lifetime illness duration. Aggression and impulsivity appear linked among bipolar patients with lifetime suicide attempts but may be independent constructs among non-attempters. The presence of both factors may elevate risk for suicidal behavior.

Impulsivity, aggression and suicidal behavior in unipolar and bipolar disorders

“…This is concordant with recent studies suggesting that impulsivity alone may not be the only predictor of SB (Carli et al, 2010) and that aggression should be part of the construct associated with SB (Mann et al, 2009). Indeed, in a small sample of BD subjects, Oquendo et al (2000) found higher lifetime aggression in attempters than in non-attempters, but no difference in lifetime impulsivity as assessed by BIS, whereas Michaelis et al (2004) reported higher levels of overall hostility and a trend toward higher impulsivity in BD attempters compared to BD non-attempters. A similar trend toward higher BIS scores in BD attempters than in non-attempters has been reported by Swann et al (2005), while in a laboratory measure of behavioral performance -the immediate memory task -BD subjects with a history of SA displayed more impulsive errors than BD patients without SA.…”

Aggression in Psychoses

“…Patients with bipolar disorder who had a history of suicide attempt scored higher on scales assessing hostility and lifetime history of aggression than those without such a history [156]. In a similar study of bipolar patients, suicide attempters scored significantly higher than nonattempters on a hostility scale [157], particularly on the subscale measuring overt physical aggression [158]. The attempters also showed higher level of impulsiveness.…”

Anger And Impulsivity In Adolescents Attempting Suicide

“…Kaynaklarda, saldırganlık, dürtüsel davranışlar ve intihar arasındaki ilişkileri destekleyen çalışmalara sıklıkla rastlanmaktadır [15][16][17] . Ergenler üzerinde yapılan ve intihar davranışlarının sıklığı ve yordayıcılarının belirlenmeye çalışıldığı boylamsal bir çalışmada da, dürtüsel davranışlardaki artış, intihar planlarının önemli bir yordayıcısı olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır 18 Araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden ergenlere ve ailelerine, araştırmacı tarafından değerlendirilmek üzere randevu verildi.…”