Nora Kämpfer1, Sabine Staufenbiel2, Ingo Wegener2, Stefanie Rambau2, Anne Sarah Urbach2, Martin Mücke3, Franziska Geiser2, Rupert Conrad2. 1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: nora.kaempfer@ukb.uni-bonn.de. 2. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. 3. Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify emotion-associated risk factors for suicidality in patients with somatoform disorders. METHODS: A sample of 155 consecutive patients diagnosed with somatoform disorders at the Psychosomatic Ambulance of Bonn University Hospital filled in several questionnaires including the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised Version (SCL-90-R), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). Our aim was to compare patients with suicide attempts to patients without suicide attempts via a MANCOVA (IV: Group; DV: SCL-90-R, TAS-20, STAXI; covariates: sex, age, depression, borderline personality disorder). RESULTS: Lifetime suicide attempts were documented in 20 patients (12.9%), current active suicidal ideation in 33.6%, and thoughts of death or dying in 55.9%. Patients with lifetime suicide attempts showed significantly more psychological distress, a significantly higher alexithymia sum score, a significantly higher score on trait anger, state anger, and a stronger tendency to express anger. CONCLUSION: Somatoform disorder patients with lifetime suicide attempts might have greater difficulties in identifying and describing emotions, and a tendency to intensely experience and express anger. Future longitudinal studies should further investigate possible links between difficulties in coping with anger and suicidality to improve prophylaxis and treatment of suicidal behaviour in somatoform disorder patients.
OBJECTIVE: To identify emotion-associated risk factors for suicidality in patients with somatoform disorders. METHODS: A sample of 155 consecutive patients diagnosed with somatoform disorders at the Psychosomatic Ambulance of Bonn University Hospital filled in several questionnaires including the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised Version (SCL-90-R), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). Our aim was to compare patients with suicide attempts to patients without suicide attempts via a MANCOVA (IV: Group; DV: SCL-90-R, TAS-20, STAXI; covariates: sex, age, depression, borderline personality disorder). RESULTS: Lifetime suicide attempts were documented in 20 patients (12.9%), current active suicidal ideation in 33.6%, and thoughts of death or dying in 55.9%. Patients with lifetime suicide attempts showed significantly more psychological distress, a significantly higher alexithymia sum score, a significantly higher score on trait anger, state anger, and a stronger tendency to express anger. CONCLUSION:Somatoform disorderpatients with lifetime suicide attempts might have greater difficulties in identifying and describing emotions, and a tendency to intensely experience and express anger. Future longitudinal studies should further investigate possible links between difficulties in coping with anger and suicidality to improve prophylaxis and treatment of suicidal behaviour in somatoform disorderpatients.
Authors: Michael E Torres; Bernd Löwe; Samantha Schmitz; John N Pienta; Christina Van Der Feltz-Cornelis; Jess G Fiedorowicz Journal: J Psychosom Res Date: 2020-11-10 Impact factor: 3.006
Authors: Laura Masferrer; Elisenda Escalé-Muntañà; Rafel Malagón; Jordi Cid; Beatriz Caparrós Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-10-17 Impact factor: 3.390