A Prospective Study of the Paradoxical Relationship Between Impulsivity and Lethality of Suicide Attempts

Klerman’s review of epidemiologic suicide studies suggests an inverse relationship between impulsivity & lethality. This study tested this relationship. 478 individuals who attempted suicide were studied. 55% of the attempts were impulsive, 28% had an intermediate level of impulsivity, & 17% were not impulsive. There was an inverse association between the impulsivity & lethality of the suicide attempt. The most impulsive attempts tended to result in less morbidity, while the less impulsive attempts tended to be more lethal. (41 refs)