Novelty Seeking: Difference Between Suicidal and Non-Suicidal Hungarian Adolescent Outpatients Suffering From Depression

This study explored differences in temperament & character dimensions between 2 focused clinical groups, suicidal & nonsuicidal, depressive adolescent outpatients. Two groups of adolescent Hungarian outpatients were compared: 39 suicidal-depressives & 51 nonsuicidal depressives. The groups were matched by age, gender, & family status. The only difference between the groups was that suicidal-depressive adolescents exhibited significantly higher novelty-seeking compared to “pure” depressive clinical peers. More research & the use of closer clinical personality typologies are warranted to explore the fine differences between these 2 groups. (30 refs.)