Impulsivity: a relevant dimension in depression regarding suicide attempts?

Background. This study focuses on clinical impulsivity in depressed patient s, regarding suicide attempts. Methods. Fifty depressed in-patients were assessed for impulsivity with the Impulsivity Rating Scale and the Baratt Impulsivity Scale, at admission (W O) and after 4 weeks of treatment (W4), with special attention to suicide a ttempts. Results. In the whole sample, impulsivity scores decreased significantly be tween WO and W4. The scale and the questionnaire correlated slightly with e ach other, suggesting some differences in impulsivity assessment between pa tients and clinicians. The two subgroups of patients, suicide attempters (S A) (n = 16) and non-suicide attempters (NSA) (n = 34), were different neith er in terms of sample characteristics and antidepressant treatments nor in terms of depression and general psychopathology assessments. However, SA pa tients scored higher on the impulsivity scale and questionnaire than NSA pa tients, both at WO and W4. These results suggest first that impulsivity may be both a trait and a state in depressed suicide attempters and second tha t it may be relevant in terms of suicide attempts in depression. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.