SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, SUBSTANCE-ABUSE, AND PERSONALITY

The prevalence and relevance of a positive suicide attempt history amo ng 103 subjects who had entered a substance abuse program and particip ated in a study of personality was examined. Twenty subjects had a pos itive suicide attempt history. Women were more likely to attempt suici de. Attempters were more likely to have additional psychiatric diagnos es, such as major depression. Attempters had higher addiction severity scores, abused more substances, and were more likely to have abused a lcohol and sedative hypnotics than were nonattempters. DSM-III-R and E ysenck personality measures were compared across groups. Attempters ha d significantly higher neuroticism and borderline scores. Impulse dysr egulation may predispose this group to more severe addictions. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science Inc.