Suicide Attempts Associated With Externalizing Psychopathology in an Epidemiological Sample

A study was conducted that optimized the common variance shared by internalizing (depression, anxiety) & externalizing (antisocial personality, substance dependence) disorders in statistically predicting suicidal behaviours. These relationships were analyzed in a large epidemiological sample, allowing for the examination of gender differences in risk for suicide attempts associated with psychopathology. It was concluded that, suicidal behaviour among individuals with externalizing symptoms is not necessarily a result of comorbid depressive or other internalizing disorders. (45 refs)