Citation

Apter A, Levy Y, Horesh N. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 84-85.

Affiliation

Schneider Hospital, 14 Kaplan st., 49202 Petah Tikva, Israel. eapter@clalit.org.il, apter@post.tau.ac.il.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964000

Abstract

Objectives: To compare subjects with near lethal suicide and low lethal suicide attempts on measures of communication difficulties and mental pain. Sample: Thirty five suicide attempters admitted to the Intensive Care Unit; 67 subjects requiring emergency room intervention only and 71 healthy, non-psychiatric controls. Measures: Psychiatric Diagnosis was made using the SCID I interview. Severity of suicide attempt was measured by the Beck Suicide Intent Scale and the Mann and Malone Lethality Rating Scale. Communication difficulties were measured by the Jerard Self Disclosure Questionnaire; the Toronto Alexythimia Scale; The SCID II interview for Schizoid personality, the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Social Support Questionnaire. Mental Pain was scored using the Orbach, Mikolincer Mental Pain Scale; Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelessness Scale and Negative Life Events Check List. Results: Measures of Mental Pain differentiated between suicide attempters and healthy controls and measures of communication difficulties significantly differentiated between low and high lethal suicide attempts. Interestingly only the objective and not the subjective part of the Suicide Intent Scale correlated with Medical Lethality. Conclusions: Communication difficulties may be an important focus for suicide prevention planning since near lethal suicide attempters are more likely to eventually commit suicide.

Language: en