CLASSIFICATION OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTERS BY CLUSTER-ANALYSIS - A STUDY OFTHE TEMPERAMENTAL HETEROGENEITY IN SUICIDAL PATIENTS

As several studies have associated various temperament dimensions with suicidality when comparing suicide attempters with non-attempters, th e purpose of the present study was to focus on the temperamental heter ogeneity, and to identify sub-groups of suicide attempters with specif ic temperament profiles. The Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) an d the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire together with the IVE-Impulsiv eness scale (EPQ-I) were administered in a sample of 215 attempters ag ed 18-81 years, and cluster analysis procedures were performed with th e KSP scales as clustering variables. The subjects were allocated into six mutually exclusive clusters with different temperament profiles. The EPQ-I was used in the attempts to validate and to further describe the cluster solution. Most of the clusters showed low Socialization s cores and high scores on scales measuring trait Anxiety. We identified a subgroup with an extreme temperament profile scoring high on scales measuring trait Anxiety, Impulsiveness, Aggressivity, and on scales r elated to Psychoticism. We also identified an introverted and detached subgroup with high scores on Detachment (low Extraversion) and high t rait Anxiety. A large sub-group showed no personality pathology in the sense thai they had normal scores on all scales. Our results clearly indicate that suicide attempters are temperamentally heterogenous grou p, and that there are several different suicidal personalities. The te mperamental heterogeneity of clinical importance and is worth further study. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.