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Impulsive suicidal behavior
Author(s) -
Williams Christopher L.,
Davidson John A.,
Montgomery Iain
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198001)36:1<90::aid-jclp2270360104>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - psychology , suicidal behavior , impulsivity , poison control , suicide prevention , injury prevention , clinical psychology , medical emergency , medicine
Previous studies have noted that a considerable proportion of suicidal behavior is impulsive. The present study aimed to ascertain the degree to which this was so and to consider whether impulsive attempters differed from nonimpulsive attempters on variables such as demographic and motivational factors and cireumstances that surrounded the occurrence of the act. Based on a criterion of less than 5 minutes' premeditation, 40% of two large, consecutive series were judged to have acted impulsively. While few variables differentiated between the two groups, impulsive attempters were less depressed, motivated by the desire to reduce tension, more likely to consider that they would survive, and to report that someone saw them perform the act.