Hostility as a feature of elderly suicidal ideators

Literature suggests that suicidal feelings are relatively rare in mentally healthy older adults. This research investigated the presence of death or s uicidal ideation in a group of home-dwelling elderly people (N = 611, M age = 75.7 yr., SD = 7.2), taking into account their psychopathological profil es assessed by means of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Suicidality was invest igated by the Italian translation of the 1974 questions from Paykel, Myers, Lindenthal, and Tanner. Elderly with death or suicidal ideation manifested depressive and anxious symptoms on the Brief Symptom Inventory. This psych opathological profile, which has been reported for these subjects in variou s contributions to the literature, was also characterized by the presence o f hostility. The correlation with higher scores on the hostility scale is d ifficult to interpret, although these feelings are often accompanied by fai lure to control impulses, which is an essential characteristic in suicidal behaviour.