Citation

Wolfersdorf MG, Straub R, Barg T, Keller F, Kaschka WP. Arch. Suicide Res. 1999; 5(1): 1-10.

Affiliation

Wolfersdorf, M., Klinik Psychiatrie Psychotherapie, Bezirkskrankenhaus Bayreuth, Akad Lehrkrank Univ Erlangen-Nurber, D-95445 Bayreuth, Germany

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811119908258311

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study deals with the psychophysiological (electrodermal reactivity in a habituation experiment, habituation score) basis of suicidal behaviour. It shows habituation data of 30 suicides with violent method compared to age- and sex-matched control groups with different suicidal expressions, on a large database of a total sample of 504 depressed inpatients. The major finding of a significantly reduced electrodermal reactivity (habituation score) in suicidal action versus suicidal thinking confirms early results but in a comprehensive large sample. Also, it confirms our clinical hypothesis of a biological basis of suicidal action, specially in suicidal acts with violent methods.