Affective temperaments and suicidal ideation and behavior in mood and anxiety disorder patients

Background: Clinical characteristics proposed to be associated with suicidal risk include affective temperament types. We tested this proposal with two methods in a large sample of subjects with mood and anxiety disorders. Methods: We assessed consecutive, consenting subjects clinically for affective temperament types and by TEMPS-A self-ratings for associations of temperament with suicidal ideation and acts, using standard bivariate methods, and multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Among 2561 subjects (major depressive, 1171; bipolar, 919, anxiety disorders, 471), temperament-types and TEMPS-A (39-item Italian version) subscale scores differed by risk of suicidal acts or ideation. Suicidal acts and ideation were most associated with cyclothymic and dysthymic, and less with hyperthymic temperaments. These associations were sustained by multivariate modeling that included diagnosis, age, sex, and diagnosis. Limitations: Not all subjects completed TEMPS-A self-ratings; clinical assessments of temperaments were not standardized, and long-term stability of temperament assessments was not tested. Conclusions: The findings support and extend associations of cyclothymic-dysthymic temperaments with suicidal acts and ideation, whereas hyperthymic temperament may be protective. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.