Dj. Greenwald et al., SUICIDE RISK AND VIOLENCE RISK IN ALCOHOLICS - PREDICTORS OF AGGRESSIVE RISK, The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 182(1), 1994, pp. 3-8
The purposes of the study were: a) to examine whether risk for suicide
and risk for violence were positively or negatively correlated; and b
) to investigate potential predictors/mediators of suicide risk alone,
violence risk alone, and risk for both suicide and violence. Suicide
risk and violence risk were considered outcome variables. The predicto
r/mediator variables were eight ego defense mechanisms and 13 dysfunct
ional personality styles (both have been linked to aggressive risk). S
eventy-four male alcoholics were administered questionnaire measures o
f suicide risk and violence risk, defenses, and disordered personality
functioning. Results indicated that suicide and violence risk were si
gnificantly positively correlated. Three sets of predictor/mediator va
riables were identified: those predicting violence risk alone, those p
redicting suicide risk alone, and those predicting combined aggressive
risk (risk for both suicide and violence). Connections obtained betwe
en predictor/mediator variables and outcome variables were explained i
n the context of existent clinical theory.