Alec Roy1. 1. Psychiatry Service 116A, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System, 385 Tremont Avenue,East Orange, NJ 07018, USA. alec.roy@med.va.gov
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To examine distal risk factors for suicidal behavior in alcoholics. METHODS: Two-hundred and eighty alcoholics were interviewed and completed the Childhood Trauma (CTQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaires (EPQ). RESULTS: One-hundred and twenty-one of the two-hundred and eighty alcoholics had attempted suicide (42.9%). Significantly more of the attempters were female and had a family history of suicidal behavior. Alcoholics who had attempted were significantly younger and had significantly higher CTQ scores for emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect. Attempters were significantly more introverted and neurotic on the EPQ. Significantly more alcoholics who had attempted suicide had received antidepressant medication. LIMITATION: Other possible distal and proximal suicide risk factors were not examined. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the suicide risk factor model may be applicable to suicidal behavior in alcoholics. Distal risk factors like childhood trauma, family history of suicide, and introversion may increase an alcoholics suicide risk when they experience a proximal or trigger factor like depression.
BACKGROUND: To examine distal risk factors for suicidal behavior in alcoholics. METHODS: Two-hundred and eighty alcoholics were interviewed and completed the Childhood Trauma (CTQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaires (EPQ). RESULTS: One-hundred and twenty-one of the two-hundred and eighty alcoholics had attempted suicide (42.9%). Significantly more of the attempters were female and had a family history of suicidal behavior. Alcoholics who had attempted were significantly younger and had significantly higher CTQ scores for emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect. Attempters were significantly more introverted and neurotic on the EPQ. Significantly more alcoholics who had attempted suicide had received antidepressant medication. LIMITATION: Other possible distal and proximal suicide risk factors were not examined. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the suicide risk factor model may be applicable to suicidal behavior in alcoholics. Distal risk factors like childhood trauma, family history of suicide, and introversion may increase an alcoholics suicide risk when they experience a proximal or trigger factor like depression.
Authors: Marcin Wojnar; Mark A Ilgen; Andrzej Jakubczyk; Anna Wnorowska; Anna Klimkiewicz; Kirk J Brower Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2008-06-16 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Maurizio Pompili; Gianluca Serafini; Marco Innamorati; Giovanni Dominici; Stefano Ferracuti; Giorgio D Kotzalidis; Giulia Serra; Paolo Girardi; Luigi Janiri; Roberto Tatarelli; Leo Sher; David Lester Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2010-03-29 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Marcin Wojnar; Mark A Ilgen; Ewa Czyz; Stephen Strobbe; Anna Klimkiewicz; Andrzej Jakubczyk; Jennifer Glass; Kirk J Brower Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2008-10-02 Impact factor: 4.839