Trait impulsivity in suicide attempters: Preliminary study

Abstract

Suicide attempt is a risk factor for suicide. To investigate trait impulsivity among suicide attempters, 93 attempters admitted to an emergency department and 113 healthy controls were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11J). Impulsivity was analyzed in relation to clinical data in the attempters. Total BIS-11J, attention impulsiveness, and motor impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in the attempters than in the controls. Both total BIS-11J and non-planning impulsiveness scores were significantly higher in attempters with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders among the diagnostic groups. Control of impulsivity should be considered as one of the targets for suicide prevention.

Impulsivity and nonsuicidal self-injury: A review and meta-analysis

“…Indeed, recent findings suggest that the link between impulsivity and suicidal behavior may actually be meditated by NSSI engagement (Anestis, Tull, Lavender, & Gratz, 2014). Given that researchers have found a significant link between impulsivity and suicidal behavior (e.g., Doihara et al, 2012;Kasen, Cohen, & Chen, 2011;Klonsky & May, 2010), future longitudinal research could specifically investigate this possible mediational pathway (i.e., impulsivity predicts suicidal behavior through NSSI).…”

Assessment of psychological pain in suicidal veterans

“…Our research suggests that high levels of pain may help facilitate the transition and perhaps, as suggested by Meerwijk et al, [19, 24] when tolerance to pain falls below a critical level, the risk for suicidality increases. When combined with depression, hopelessness and impulsiveness the risk may be further elevated [9–12, 25]. Our observation that lethality of the attempts were associated with high scores for psychological pain may be due in part to the MBP test items capturing additional aspects of suicidality including tolerance to psychological pain and reporting that dying was an option to make the mental pain stop.…”

“…It is likely that psychological pain alone is only one of many contributing factors. For example, depression, hopelessness and impulsiveness are factors known to increase suicide risk [9–12]. …”

Motor impulsivity differentiates between psychiatric inpatients with multiple versus single lifetime suicide attempts

“…A notable body of research has found evidence of a direct impulsivity-suicide attempt link (e.g., Brodsky et al, 2001;Doihara et al, 2012), while other studies have found no such evidence (e.g., Carli et al, 2010;Grunebaum et al, 2005;Oquendo et al, 2000). Most recently, a meta-analysis (Anestis et al, 2014) comparing individuals with and without histories of suicide attempts indicated that the relationship between impulsivity and suicide attempt history was small (Hedges g =.34).…”