Citation

Corbitt EM, Malone KM, Haas GL, Mann JJ. J. Affect. Disord. 1996; 39(1): 61-72.

Affiliation

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8835655

Abstract

We investigated the relationship of DSM-III-R personality disorder (PD) diagnoses and traits to suicidal behavior in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Axis I and Axis II criteria and suicidal behavior were assessed using structured interviews of 102 psychiatric inpatients. Subjects with comorbid MDD and Borderline PD (BPD: n = 30) were more likely than other patients to have a history of multiple suicide attempts, and were equally likely to have made a highly lethal attempt. Number of BPD and other Cluster B (dramatic/erratic) criteria were better predictors of past suicidal behavior than were depressive symptoms. We conclude that patients with BPD symptomatology are at risk for serious suicide attempts. Moreover, severity of comorbid Cluster B PD psychopathology should be considered when assessing suicide risk in MDD patients even in those without a PD diagnosis.

Language: en