title: Temperament personality profiles in suicidal behaviour: an investigation of associated demographic, clinical and genetic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Personality traits have been suggested as possible risk factors for suicidal behaviours. Cloninger's model of personality (TCI), given its neurobiological background, might provide an ideal tool for the identification of dimensions associated with suicide attempt.
  
  
  METHODS
  A number of 1333 suicide attempters and 589 non-suicide attempters suffering from different DSM-IV Axis I disorders were assessed using either the temperament and character inventory (TCI) or the tridimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ), as well as other self-report questionnaires evaluating dimensions associated with suicidal behaviour, such as impulsivity and anger traits. The severity of suicide attempts and the methods used were also assessed. Subjects were genotyped for polymorphisms within the key genes involved in monoaminergic pathways and the HPA axis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with non-suicide attempters, suicide attempters scored higher for harm avoidance (HA) and novelty seeking (NS), and lower for self-directedness (SD). The difference was independent of Axis I disorders. Higher HA and NS scores were associated with a greater severity of suicidal behaviour. A multivariate model showed that HA was the single temperamental dimension independently related to suicide attempt history, beside impulsivity and anger-related traits. The genetic factors investigated did not play a significant role in modulating these temperamental dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TCI was available for only half of the sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early detection of subjects displaying high HA and low SD, associated with high impulsivity and poor anger control, may help to prevent suicidal behaviours. Physicians should therefore be aware of these risk factors so that they can offer the best primary care intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. nader.perroud@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perroud
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baud
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ardu
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krejci
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mouthon
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vessaz
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guillaume
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jaussent
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olié
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malafosse
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courtet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament