Depression, aggression and suicidality: Are suicidal depressed inpatients more aggressive? Results of a clinical using the Buss-Durkey-Hostility-inventory

50 depressed in-patients (unipolar depression,only severe depressive episod es without psychotic symptoms, no bipolar affective disorder, 2/3 female, 1 /3 male in-patients, age range 20-60 years) consecutively admitted to the W eissenau Depression Treatment and Research Unit spring and summer 1996 were compared to 50 healthy controls (matched pairs by age and sex; no somatic or psychic disorder, no antidepressants or psychotherapeutic treatment prio r to study, no suicidal behaviour known) assessed on aggressivity using the Buss-Durkey-Hostility-lnventory (BDHI). Significantly higher scores of BDH I-sum scores and especially in subscores called,inhibited aggression" were found in depressed and suicidal in-patients in comparison to healthy contro ls or nonsuicidal depressed persons. No differences were found in open phys ical and verbal aggression scores.