Citation

Mathias CW, Dougherty DM, James LM, Richard DM, Dawes MA, Acheson A, Hill-Kapturczak N. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2011; 41(3): 277-286.

Affiliation

Charles W. Mathias, Donald M. Dougherty, Lisa M. James, Dawn M. Richard, Michael A. Dawes, Ashley Acheson, Nathalie Hill-Kapturczak, Division of Neurobehavioral Research, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00027.x

PMID

21463352

PMCID

PMC3110978

Abstract

Impulsivity has been conceptualized as influencing the expression of suicidal behavior. Adolescence is a developmental period characterized both by a relatively high rate of suicide attempts and a high level of impulsivity. The current study examined two behavioral measures (delay reward and disinhibition) and one self-report measure of impulsivity among girls with suicide attempt histories. Girls with multiple suicide attempts performed more impulsively on measures of delayed reward, and had higher self-ratings of depression and aggression than girls with either one or no suicide attempts. The multiple attempter girls' preference for immediate gratification may directly increase vulnerability to suicidal acts in the context of distressing states or indirectly increase risk by creating poor life experience over time.

Language: en