The Relationship of Impulsive Aggressiveness to Suicidality and Other Depression-Linked Behaviors

This article reviews evidence suggesting impulsive-aggressive traits are part of a developmental cascade increasing suicide risk among a subset of suicides. These personality traits, which do not appear to be a consequence of psychiatric disorder, seem to play a larger role among younger suicides & may mediate familial transmission of suicidal behaviour. However, not all suicides are associated with impulsive-aggressive behaviours, & a better understanding is needed of the vulnerability of suicide among non-impulsive-aggressive suicide. (49 refs.)