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Severity of personality disorders and suicide attempt
Author(s) -
BlascoFontecilla H.,
BacaGarcia E.,
Dervic K.,
PerezRodriguez M. M.,
SaizGonzalez M. D.,
SaizRuiz J.,
Oquendo M. A.,
De Leon J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01284.x
Subject(s) - lethality , rating scale , personality disorders , personality , psychiatry , poison control , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , injury prevention , suicide attempt , severity of illness , medicine , psychology , medical emergency , developmental psychology , social psychology , genetics , biology
Objective: Severity of personality disorders (PDs) may be more useful in estimating suicide risk than the diagnosis of specific PDs. We hypothesized that suicide attempters with severe PD would present more attempts and attempts of greater severity/lethality. Method: Four hundred and forty‐six suicide attempters were assessed. PD diagnosis was made using the International Personality Disorder Questionnaire – Screening Questionnaire. PDs were classified using Tyrer and Johnson’s classification of severity (no PD, simple PD, diffuse PD). Severity/lethality of attempts was measured with the Suicide Intent Scale, Risk‐Rescue Rating Scale and Lethality Rating Scale. Results: Attempters with severe (diffuse) PD had more attempts than the other groups. After controlling for age and gender, this difference remained significant only for the younger age group and women. There was no relationship between severity of PDs and severity/lethality of attempts. Conclusion: Younger female attempters with severe PD are prone to repeated attempts. However, the severity of PD was not related to the severity/lethality of suicide attempts.