Higher scores on motor impulsivity and lower scores on cooperativeness are associated with history of suicide attempts in Brazilian outpatients with bipolar disorder

  • Karla Almeida, Bipolar Disorder Research Program, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil, Brazil
  • MD Lena Abreu, Bipolar Disorder Research Program, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil, Brazil
  • Prof Dr Beny Lafer, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil

Objective: To investigate the relationship between personality characteristics and suicide attempts in outpatients with bipolar disorder (BD).
Methods: Sixty-one euthymic outpatients with BD type I (DSM- IV) were evaluated. Participants were divided into two groups: suicide attempters (n=27; mean age 38.3 ± 9.7) and non-attempters (n=34; mean age: 40.6 ± 9.3). We used the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) to measure impulsivity and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to assess personality traits.
Results: Attempters showed higher scores of impulsivity on the attentional and motor subscales (21.0 vs. 19.0, p = 0.043 and 24.8 vs. 20.6, p = 0.002; respectively), as well as on the BIS total (73.5 vs. 65.5, p = 0.009) in comparison to non-attempters. Regarding the TCI, attempters presented higher scores on Harm Avoidance (22.1 vs. 17.8, p = 0.021), and lower scores on Self-Directedness (24.8 vs. 29.8, p = 0.020) and Cooperativeness (27.3 vs. 32.6, p < 0.000). Stepwise multiple logistic regression showed that history of suicide attempts was significantly associated with female gender (p = 0.010), motor impulsivity (p = 0.026) and cooperativeness (p = 0.005).
Conclusion: History of suicide attempts is associated with higher motor impulsivity and lower Cooperativeness in euthymic outpatients with BD type I. Our results may contribute to further improve suicide prevention strategies in this population.