Intolerance to delayed reward in girls with multiple suicide attempts

Charles W. Mathias, Donald M. Dougherty, Lisa M. James, Dawn M. Richard, Michael A. Dawes, Ashley Acheson, Nathalie Hill-Kapturczak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Impulsivity has been conceptualized as influencing the expression of suicidal behavior. Adolescence is a developmental period characterized both by a relatively high rate of suicide attempts and a high level of impulsivity. The current study examined two behavioral measures (delay reward and disinhibition) and one self-report measure of impulsivity among girls with suicide attempt histories. Girls with multiple suicide attempts performed more impulsively on measures of delayed reward, and had higher self-ratings of depression and aggression than girls with either one or no suicide attempts. The multiple attempter girls' preference for immediate gratification may directly increase vulnerability to suicidal acts in the context of distressing states or indirectly increase risk by creating poor life experience over time.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)277-286
Number of pages10
JournalSuicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
Volume41
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Clinical Psychology

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