Bipolar Disorder. III: Harm Avoidance a Risk Factor for Suicide Attempts

A temperament & character inventory was administered to 100 euthymic bipolar patients & 100 controls. Age of onset was significantly lower in patients with suicide attempts in the total bipolar I & II group and bipolar I patients compared with patients without suicide attempts. Bipolar I & II & bipolar I patients with suicide attempts were significantly higher in harm avoidance & reward dependence compared with patients without suicide attempts. Harm avoidance was lowest in patients with no suicide attempts & no family history of suicide. Bipolar disorder was significantly correlated to harm avoidance & suicide attempts to harm avoidance & low persistence. Family history of suicide & gender were significantly correlated to suicide attempts. (46 refs)