Citation

Burton CZ, Vella L, Weller JA, Twamley EW. J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2011; 23(2): 173-179.

Affiliation

San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA; the Maricopa Integrated Health System/District Medical Group, Phoenix, AZ; University of California, San Diego, Department of Psychiatry, San Diego, CA; the VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, and the VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego, CA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Neuropsychiatric Association, Publisher American Psychiatric Publishing)

DOI

10.1176/appi.neuropsych.23.2.173

PMID

21677246

Abstract

Suicide is common among individuals with psychiatric illness; executive functioning may be associated with suicide risk. The authors examined demographic, clinical, and executive-functioning variables in suicide ideators and suicide attempters, hypothesizing that attempters would demonstrate poorer executive-functioning skills. Seventy-seven participants with psychiatric illness completed a neuropsychological battery while hospitalized or residing in crisis-houses after expressing suicidal ideation (N=40) or making a suicide attempt (N=37). Logistic regression predicted suicide Ideator versus suicide Attempter status; suicide Attempters exhibited poorer inhibition but better problem-solving ability than suicide Ideators. Suicide attempt risk may be associated with better problem-solving skills, but worse inhibitory control.

Language: en