Predicting risk of suicide in bipolar and unipolar depression: correlation between temperament and personality

• Published in: Nervenarzt Vol. 80; no. 3; p. 315
• Main Authors: Pompili, M, Innamorati, M, Giupponi, G, Pycha, R, Rihmer, Z, Del Casale, A, Manfredi, G, Celentano, A, Fiori Nastro, P, Ferracuti, S, Girardi, P, Tatarelli, R, Akiskal, H S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.03.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Bipolar Disorder - epidemiology; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Comorbidity; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Female; Humans; Internationality; Male; Personality; Personality Assessment; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Factors; Statistics as Topic; Suicide - psychology; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Temperament
• ISSN: 1433-0407; 1433-0407
• DOI: 10.1007/s00115-008-2611-2

The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of personality and affective temperament traits in the prediction of suicide risk in mood disorders. The participants were 147 psychiatric inpatients with bipolar disorders I and II and major depressive disorder. Patients undertook the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego self-rating questionnaire, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Sixty-four subjects were diagnosed with increased suicidal risk based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Logistic regression analysis resulted in two models predictive of MINI-based suicidal risk: irritable temperament and the MMPI-2 scale. Multiple regression analysis further indicated that higher hyperthymic values are protective against hopelessness, while MINI-based suicidal intent is a predictor of hopelessness. Personality and affective temperament traits may have a role in the prediction of suicide.