Personality, Suicidal Ideation, and Reasons for Living among Older Adults

Segal, Daniel L.; Marty, Meghan A.; Meyer, William J.; Coolidge, Frederick L.

doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr080

Cited by 53 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In regression analyses, borderline and histrionic were the only personality disorders features that contributed significant variance in suicidal ideation, whereas neuroticism was the only personality trait that contributed significant variance in suicidal ideation. 18 Here the researchers found highly significant (p=.0001) differences among cases and controls associated with adjustment disorder (case 29.2%, control 0.9%), mood disorder (case 12.4%, control 0.0%) and mood episode (case 8.0, control 0.9) . WHO/ISBRA study revealed the similar scenario, of the 1863 persons included in the WHO/ISBRA study, 292 had both a history of depressive symptoms and alcohol dependence or abuse and were included in the subgroup analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Risk Factors of Suicide and Para Suicide in Rural Bangladesh

et al. 2014

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Background: Suicide is a public health problem too often neglected by researchers, health policy makers and the medical profession. In the year 2000, approximately one million people died of suicide which represents a global mortality rate of 16 per 100,000. According to WHO estimates for the year 2020 and based on current trends approximately 1.53 million people will die from suicide and 10-20 times more people will attempt suicide worldwide. This represents on average 1 death per 20 seconds and 1 attempt every 1-2 seconds. No nationwide survey on suicidal risk factors has yet been conducted in Bangladesh. Reports from police records, Media, court, hospitals and the focused study on selected population indicate that suicide is a public health problem in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to unearth the potential risk factors of suicide or suicidal attempts and to assess psychiatric illness, non psychiatric co-morbidity, individuals behavioral and physical factor, familial risk factors and socio-demographic risk factors of suicide and its attempts. Study Design and Setting: A case control study was carried out by members of the Department of Medicine, Shaheed Suhrawardi Medical College and Hospital at Mominpur,Haowlee and Jibonnagar unions under three Upazilla of district Chuadanga,. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 16. Results: A total 230 subjects (113 cases and 117 controls) were interviewed. Mean age among cases was 29.6±12.8 years and controls were 29.7±12.9 years.Majority of the participants, 65.5% of cases and 63.2% of controls were aged between 20-39 years. Among cases 38.9% were male and among the controls 42.7% were male.Among cases 30.1% and among controls 27.4% had less than 4 family members. More than half of the participants, among cases (58.4%) and among controls (55.6%) had between 4- 6 members in the family. Economic status was also similar in two groups.Problem of love affair (OR 5.2), Personal problem (OR 11.9), Feeling of economic hardship (OR 2.4) appeared to have statistically significant association with suicidal attempt. Problem with relatives (OR 3.8), death of near relative (OR 0.9) and poor academic performance (OR 1.6) didnt appear to have any association with risk of suicidal attempt. History of chronic disease (OR 2.9) showed statistically significant association but long term physical disability (OR 4.4) and physical problems didnt appear to have any significant association with suicidal attempt. History of suicidal attempt by any relative (OR 4.2) and previous attempt to suicide (OR 7.4) appeared as highly significant factor for suicide. Not being reared by biological parents (OR 3.2), marital disharmony (OR 4.0), Conflict within the family (OR 6.9) appeared to be strongly associated with suicidal attempts. Suicidal attempts of participants were significantly associated with sleeping disturbance (OR 2.3), uncertainty about future (7.2), impulsivity (OR 13.8), and history of criminal behavior (OR 2.1). Conclusion: Case control study on the risk factors of suicide in rural area of South-West Bangladesh revealed that the married female especially the younger age from unitary family of low income group are more vulnerable to commit suicide or parasuicide. Several emotional factors, presence of chronic diseases, familial suicidal predisposition, individual factor and mental state, premorbid persionality and psychiatric syndrome appeared to have significant association with suicidal attempts. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i2.19653 J Medicine 2013, 14(2): 123-129

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Risk Factors of Suicide and Para Suicide in Rural Bangladesh

et al. 2014

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“…This study adds to the literature demonstrating strong psychometric properties for the GSIS among community-residing older adults (Marty et al 2010;Segal et al 2012), and provides evidence of strong internal consistency and construct validity for the EMIL, a new multidimensional measure of MIL developed to be consistent with Frankl's theory. The compelling findings of this study must nonetheless be considered in the context of its limitations, including cross-sectional data analysis, inclusion of largely healthy older adults, a primary reliance upon self-report data, and focus on suicide ideation rather than suicidal behavior.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…The GSIS has demonstrated strong internal consistency among older adults (α = 0.91; Heisel and Flett 2006;Marty et al 2010) and significant 1-2 month test-retest reliability among nursing home residents (r = 0.86, p < 0.001; Heisel and Flett 2006). It has demonstrated criterion validity, differentiating mental health patients from nonpatients, construct validity with suicide ideation, hopelessness, depression, insomnia, impulsivity, poor coping strategies, and physical health complaints, and nonconvergence with MIL, PIL, psychological well-being, reasons for living, and subjective well-being (Heisel and Flett 2006Jahn et al 2011;Marty et al 2010;Nadorff et al 2013;Neufeld and O'Rourke 2009;Segal et al 2012). The GSIS has also shown sensitivity to clinical change in a small trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) adapted for older adults at-risk for suicide; study participants endorsed significantly less suicide ideation at posttreatment than at pretreatment assessment ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Do Meaning in Life and Purpose in Life Protect Against Suicide Ideation Among Community-Residing Older Adults?

Heisel

Flett

2014

Meaning in Positive and Existential Psychology

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Theory, research, and clinical practice suggest that perceptions of meaning in life (MIL) and purpose in life (PIL) may enhance mental health and well-being and protect against suicide risk among older adults. In this study, we investigated cross-sectional associations among MIL, PIL, and suicide ideation in communityresiding older adults recruited into a longitudinal study of risk and resiliency to the onset and/or exacerbation of late-life depression and suicide ideation. A total of 173 adults, 65 years or older (M = 73.9, SD = 6.1, Range: 65-93 years) completed a demographics questionnaire and measures of suicide ideation and associated risk (depressive symptom severity and social hopelessness) and potential resiliency factors (MIL, PIL, and subjective well-being). Zero-order correlation coefficients supported hypothesized positive associations between suicide ideation and the risk factors and negative associations among suicide ideation, MIL, PIL, and subjective well-being. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that MIL significantly protected against suicide ideation controlling for the risk factors and the additional resiliency factors, replicating and extending our previous findings among middle-aged clinical and heterogeneous older adult samples. MIL further interacted significantly with depressive symptom severity in

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“…The GSIS has demonstrated strong internal consistency for total (α=.93) and subscale scores (α=.82-.84), 1-2 month test-retest reliability (Pearson's r =.86 for the total scale and .75-.78 for the subscales, p <0.001; n =32), criterion validity differentiating mental health patients from non-patients, convergent validity with depression and hopelessness, and non-convergence with life satisfaction and psychological well-being [21,40,42-44]. The GSIS demonstrated strong internal consistency at this study's eligibility assessment for Total scores (α=.95; n =17), and Suicide Ideation (α=.88), Death Ideation (α=.90), Loss of Personal and Social Worth (α=.81), and Perceived Meaning in Life subscales (α=.90).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Older Adults at Risk for Suicide

Heisel

Talbot

King

et al. 2015

The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

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Objective To pilot a psychological intervention adapted for older adults at-risk for suicide. Design A focused, uncontrolled, pre-to-post-treatment psychotherapy trial. All eligible participants were offered the study intervention. Setting Outpatient mental healthcare provided in the psychiatry department of an academic medical center in a mid-sized Canadian city. Participants Seventeen English-speaking adults 60 years or older, at- risk for suicide by virtue of current suicide ideation, death ideation, and/or recent self-injury. Intervention A 16-session course of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) adapted for older adults at-risk for suicide who were receiving medication and/or other standard psychiatric treatment for underlying mood disorders. Measurements Participants completed a demographics form, screens for cognitive impairment and alcohol misuse, a semi-structured diagnostic interview, and measures of primary (suicide ideation and death ideation), and secondary study outcomes (depressive symptom severity; social adjustment and support; psychological well-being), and psychotherapy process measures. Results Participants experienced significant reductions in suicide ideation, death ideation, and depressive symptom severity, and significant improvement in perceived meaning in life, social adjustment, perceived social support, and other psychological well-being variables. Conclusions Study participants experienced enhanced psychological well-being and reduced symptoms of depression and suicide ideation over the course of IPT adapted for older adults at-risk for suicide. Larger, controlled trials are needed to further evaluate the impact of this novel intervention and to test methods for translating and integrating focused interventions into standard clinical care with at-risk older adults.

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Personality, Suicidal Ideation, and Reasons for Living among Older Adults

Abstract: The findings highlight the complexity of risk and protective factors for suicide and suggest that a thorough assessment of suicidal potential among older adults should include attention to their underlying personality traits.

Cited by 53 publications

References 26 publications

Risk Factors of Suicide and Para Suicide in Rural Bangladesh

Risk Factors of Suicide and Para Suicide in Rural Bangladesh

Do Meaning in Life and Purpose in Life Protect Against Suicide Ideation Among Community-Residing Older Adults?

Adapting Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Older Adults at Risk for Suicide

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