Personality traits as correlates of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide completions: a systematic review

Abstract

Selected personality traits may be useful markers of suicide risk. Future research needs to establish their contributions in relation to environmental and genetic variation in different gender, age, and ethnocultural groups.

The Temperament and Character Traits in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Affective Disorder With and Without Suicide Attempt

“…In the group of suicide attempters, we found significantly higher scores on HA and significantly lower scores in SD, CO, and PS when compared to the non-suicidal group. Previous studies found results somewhat similar to ours, i.e., higher HA and lower SD in the group of patients with mood disorders who had suicide attempt (see Woo et al 2014, Brezo et al 2006, Engstrom et al 2004). Higher HA, defined as a tendency to respond intensely to signals or aversive stimuli, may be state-dependent personality trait in depressive states (Pelissolo & Corruble 2002).…”

Current suicidality and previous suicidal attempts in patients with schizophrenia are associated with different dimensions of temperament and character

“…In patients with schizophrenia, this dimension has been previously associated with the presence of affective symptoms (Strakowski et al, 1992). High Harm Avoidance was described as the risk factor for suicide attempts in previous research in various groups of patients (Brezo et al, 2006), this association has not been confirmed so far in this study focusing exclusively on patients with schizophrenia. The majority of previous studies investigated individuals with a wide range of diagnoses associated with suicidality and compared them to normal controls Becerra et al, 2005;Grucza et al, 2005), which makes it difficult to control for the confounding effect of psychopathology on personality.…”

Personality and Coping

“…Meta-analyses show that neuroticism predicts clinical symptoms and disorders, with a stronger relationship to mood and anxiety disorders than to externalizing problems (Malouff et al 2005). Neuroticism is also linked to greater risk for suicidal ideation, attempts, and completion (Brezo et al 2006) and to more alcohol use (Malouff et al 2007). Pessimism is similarly related to lower levels of subjective well-being across many studies ).…”