Open AccessStudy of suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in elderly
Author(s) -
Surbhi Trivedi,
Neha K Shetty,
Nitin B Raut,
Alka A Subramanyam,
Henal Shah,
Charles Pinto
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geriatric mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2395-3322
pISSN - 2348-9995
DOI - 10.4103/2348-9995.141925
Subject(s) - impulsivity , beck hopelessness scale , clinical psychology , psychology , suicidal ideation , barratt impulsiveness scale , psychiatry , geriatric depression scale , depression (economics) , beck depression inventory , poison control , suicide prevention , medicine , anxiety , depressive symptoms , medical emergency , economics , macroeconomics
Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the suicidal ideations, hopelessness and impulsivity in depressed and non-depressed elderly and to study the relationship of suicidal ideations with hopelessness and impulsivity in them. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done on 60 elderly patients (30 cases and 30 controls) above the age of 60 years. The scales used were Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Mean Geriatric Suicide Ideations Scale scores, mean Beck Hopelessness Scale scores and mean Barrat′s Impulsiveness Scale and scores of depressed elderly were higher than that of elderly who were not depressed and these differences were statistically significant. Hopelessness was a significant predictor of suicidal ideation in the entire sample as well as in the depressed and non-depressed elderly when the two groups were considered separately. Impulsivity when considered alone was a significant predictor of suicidal ideations in the entire sample. Conclusion: Hopelessness and impulsivity both by themselves are significant predictors for suicidal ideations in the elderly and when both are considered together hopelessness is a better predictor of suicidal ideations than impulsivity