title: The Relationship between Mood Instability and Suicidal Thoughts.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether affective instability predicts suicidal thoughts. Data from a Dutch panel study (N = 1686) was used. Affective instability was assessed with 7 items representing suddenly shifting moods. Suicidal thoughts were assessed by the occurrence of suicidal thoughts in the past week. Negative affect was indexed by anxious, depressed and angry moods extracted by factor analysis. Odds ratios using logistic regression modeling were calculated, adjusting for clinical and demographic variables. The study found that both males (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.28) and females (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00-1.23) were more likely to experience suicidal thinking with higher affective instability. Affective instability and negative affect independently predict suicidal thoughts. Affective instability requires more attention in the assessment of suicide risk.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon , Saskatchewan Canada.
authors.forename: Rudy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balbuena
authors.forename: Evyn M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leuschen-Mewis
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baetz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000786:Anger; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011580:Psychological Techniques; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: affective instability; mood dysregulation; suicidal ideation