PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

Temperament, character and decision-making characteristics of patients with major depressive disorder following a suicide attempt.

  • Klára M Hegedűs,
  • Bernadett I Gál,
  • Andrea Szkaliczki,
  • Bálint Andó,
  • Zoltán Janka,
  • Péter Z Álmos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251935
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 5
p. e0251935

Abstract

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BackgroundMultiple psychological factors of suicidal behaviour have been identified so far; however, little is known about state-dependent alterations and the interplay of the most prominent components in a suicidal crisis. Thus, the combined effect of particular personality characteristics and decision-making performance was observed within individuals who recently attempted suicide during a major depressive episode.MethodsFifty-nine medication-free major depressed patients with a recent suicide attempt (within 72 h) and forty-five healthy control individuals were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Temperament and character factors, impulsivity and decision-making performance were assessed. Statistical analyses aimed to explore between-group differences and the most powerful contributors to suicidal behaviour during a depressive episode.ResultsDecision-making and personality differences (i.e. impulsivity, harm avoidance, self-directedness, cooperativeness and transcendence) were observed between the patient and the control group. Among these variables, decision-making, harm avoidance and self-directedness were shown to have the strongest impact on a recent suicide attempt of individuals with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder according to the results of the binary logistic regression analysis. The model was significant, adequately fitted the data and correctly classified 79.8% of the cases.ConclusionsThe relevance of deficient decision-making, high harm avoidance and low self-directedness was modelled in the case of major depressed participants with a recent suicide attempt; meaning that these individuals can be described with the myopia for future consequences, a pessimistic, anxious temperament; and a character component resulting in the experience of aimlessness and helplessness. Further studies that use a within-subject design should identify and confirm additional characteristics specific to the suicidal mind.