Abstract

BackgroundSuicide mortality rates are higher in people with personality disorders, especially those who have antisocial personality traits. These mortality rates are also higher in people who have committed offences. Antisocial personality traits are very common in populations who have committed offences and in forensic psychiatric patients.AimTo determine if male State patients with antisocial personality traits had a higher risk of suicide compared with patients with no antisocial personality traits. We tried to identify other risk factors for attempted suicide in this population.SettingWeskoppies Hospital’s Forensic Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.MethodsOf the 275 male State patients, 37 had antisocial personality traits and were included in the study. Of the remaining State patients, we randomly selected 37 control group participants, who had no antisocial personality traits. For each participant, we completed a data capturing sheet and a Beck’s Suicide Ideation Scale (BSIS). We compared suicide risk and associated factors between study and control group participants.ResultsStudy group and control group participants had the same current suicide risk. Overall, 63 participants (85.14%) had no current suicide risk. Of the 11 (14.86%) remaining participants with current suicide risk, 5 had antisocial personality traits. Eighteen had previous suicide attempts, 13 of whom had antisocial personality traits.ConclusionState patients with and without antisocial personality traits had similar current suicide risk. Although antisocial personality disorder is an identified risk factor for suicide, it was not the case in this study. Assessment of other risk factors for suicide should be prioritised.

Highlights

  • Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is associated with early death.[1,2] Mortality rates because of suicide are higher in individuals with personality disorders,[3,4] especially individuals with antisocial personality traits.[5]These mortality rates are higher in individuals who have committed offences.[6,7] Antisocial personality traits are very common in populations who have committed offences and in forensic psychiatric patients.[8,9]The prevalence of personality disorders in the general population is 13.1%, 14.6% amongst women and 13.7% amongst men.[10]

  • Most participants who had low to moderate Beck’s Suicide Ideation Scale (BSIS) scores (0–2 out of 18) did not have antisocial personality traits (n = 3)

  • All the patients had the same suicide risk. This is contrary to previous research stating that the risk of suicide is higher in general psychiatric patients with antisocial personality disorders.[5,11,15]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is associated with early death.[1,2] Mortality rates because of suicide are higher in individuals with personality disorders,[3,4] especially individuals with antisocial personality traits.[5]These mortality rates are higher in individuals who have committed offences.[6,7] Antisocial personality traits are very common in populations who have committed offences and in forensic psychiatric patients.[8,9]The prevalence of personality disorders in the general population is 13.1%, 14.6% amongst women and 13.7% amongst men.[10]. Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is associated with early death.[1,2] Mortality rates because of suicide are higher in individuals with personality disorders,[3,4] especially individuals with antisocial personality traits.[5]. These mortality rates are higher in individuals who have committed offences.[6,7] Antisocial personality traits are very common in populations who have committed offences and in forensic psychiatric patients.[8,9].

Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call