@article{ref1,
title="When the solution is part of the problem: Problem solving in elderly suicide attempters",
journal="International journal of geriatric psychiatry",
year="2009",
author="Gibbs, Lawrence M. and Dombrovski, Alexandre Y. and Morse, Jennifer and Siegle, Greg J. and Houck, Patricia R. and Szanto, Katalin",
volume="24",
number="12",
pages="1396-1404",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: Depression, loss, and physical illness are associated with suicide in the elderly. However, the nature of individual vulnerability remains poorly understood. Poor problem solving has been suggested as a risk factor for suicide in younger adults. Unresolved problems may create an accumulation of stressors. Thus, those with perceived deficits in problem-solving ability may be predisposed to suicidal behavior. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether elderly suicide attempters perceived their problem solving as deficient. METHODS: Sixty-four individuals aged 60 and older participated in the study including depressed suicide attempters, depressed non-attempters, and non-depressed controls. The social problem solving inventory-revised: short-version was used to measure participants' perceived social problem solving, assessing both adaptive problem-solving dimensions (positive problem orientation and rational problem solving) and dysfunctional dimensions (negative problem orientation, impulsivity/carelessness, and avoidance). RESULTS: Depressed elderly who had attempted suicide perceived their overall problem solving as deficient, compared to non-suicidal depressed and non-depressed elderly. Suicide attempters perceived their problems more negatively and approached them in a more impulsive manner. On rational problem solving and avoidant style sub-scales, suicide attempters did not differ from non-suicidal depressed. However, both depressed groups reported lower rational problem solving and higher avoidance compared to non-depressed controls. CONCLUSIONS: A perception of life problems as threatening and unsolvable and an impulsive approach to problem solving appear to predispose vulnerable elderly to suicide attempts. <p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0885-6230",
doi="10.1002/gps.2276",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gps.2276"
}