Wenjia Wang1, Yongjie Zhou2, Jiesi Wang1, Hang Xu1, Shuochi Wei1, Dongmei Wang1, Li Wang1, Xiang Yang Zhang3. 1. CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. 2. Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China; Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China. 3. CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zhangxy@psych.ac.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that cognitive impairment plays a key role in suicide, an important factor leading to premature death in schizophrenia (SCZ) patients. Empathy has received extensive attention recently; however, the relationship of empathy with suicide in schizophrenia is still unknown. The main aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of suicide attempts and its association with empathy and other characteristics in Chinese chronic SCZ patients. METHODS: The suicide attempt data, together with demographic characteristics and clinical variables were collected from 627 chronic inpatients with schizophrenia. We utilized the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for the psychopathological symptoms, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) for affective and cognitive empathy in this study. RESULTS: We found a suicide attempt rate of 11.3% in chronic SCZ patients. Compared to non-attempters, suicide attempters were more likely to be women, had younger age and higher education levels, as well as higher positive symptoms and depressive factor score, but lower negative symptoms of PANSS (all p < .05). Moreover, after controlling the confounding factors, suicide attempters scored higher in Personal Distress subscale of IRI (F1, 455 = 5.446, p = .020) than non-attempters. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of suicide attempt is high in chronic SCZ patients. Its risk factors include some demographic and clinical variables. Moreover, suicide attempters experienced stronger personal distress, suggesting that stronger empathy may be a risk factor of suicide.
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that cognitive impairment plays a key role in suicide, an important factor leading to premature death in schizophrenia (SCZ) patients. Empathy has received extensive attention recently; however, the relationship of empathy with suicide in schizophrenia is still unknown. The main aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of suicide attempts and its association with empathy and other characteristics in Chinese chronic SCZpatients. METHODS: The suicide attempt data, together with demographic characteristics and clinical variables were collected from 627 chronic inpatients with schizophrenia. We utilized the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for the psychopathological symptoms, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) for affective and cognitive empathy in this study. RESULTS: We found a suicide attempt rate of 11.3% in chronic SCZpatients. Compared to non-attempters, suicide attempters were more likely to be women, had younger age and higher education levels, as well as higher positive symptoms and depressive factor score, but lower negative symptoms of PANSS (all p < .05). Moreover, after controlling the confounding factors, suicide attempters scored higher in Personal Distress subscale of IRI (F1, 455 = 5.446, p = .020) than non-attempters. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of suicide attempt is high in chronic SCZpatients. Its risk factors include some demographic and clinical variables. Moreover, suicide attempters experienced stronger personal distress, suggesting that stronger empathy may be a risk factor of suicide.
Authors: Alma Delia Genis-Mendoza; Diana María Dionisio-García; Thelma Beatriz Gonzalez-Castro; Carlos Alfonso Tovilla-Zaráte; Isela Esther Juárez-Rojop; María Lilia López-Narváez; Rosa Giannina Castillo-Avila; Humberto Nicolini Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-06-10 Impact factor: 5.435