Citation

Windle M. J. Stud. Alcohol 1994; 55(5): 571-577.

Affiliation

Research Institute on Addictions, Buffalo, New York 14203.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7990467

Abstract

Data from the Vietnam Experience Study were used to examine differences among alcoholic suicide attempters and alcoholic nonattempters with regard to co-occurring psychiatric disorders and MMPI scale scores. Comparisons between the 83 alcoholic suicide attempters and the remaining 978 alcoholic nonattempters indicated that suicide attempters had significantly higher rates of co-occurring disorders as well as an MMPI-based personality pattern characterized by higher levels of pathology. A discriminant function analysis yielded an overall classification accuracy of 74.08%, with significant MMPI scale scores suggestive of personality differences in impulsivity, destructiveness and assaultiveness (especially code 4-9-6). Suicide attempts may be a manifestation of self-destructive behavior that typifies a subset of alcoholics with pervasive difficulties.

Language: en