title: Stressful life events, hopelessness, and coping strategies among impulsive suicide attempters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicides are among the most important causes of death in the economically productive population. Characteristics of impulsive and nonimpulsive suicide attempters may differ which would have a bearing on planning preventive measures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to characterize the clinical and psychological profile of impulsive and nonimpulsive suicide attempters.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective comprehensive chart-based study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study utilized records of patients over a period of 3 years. An attempt was considered impulsive if the time between suicidal idea and the attempt was <30 min. Stressful life events were assessed using presumptive stressful life events scale; hopelessness was evaluated using Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and coping was measured using Coping Strategies Inventory Short Form.
  
  
  METHODS
  Impulsive and nonimpulsive suicide attempters were compared using appropriate inferential statistical tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 316 patients, 151 were classified as having an impulsive suicidal attempt (47.8% of the sample). The impulsive and nonimpulsive suicide attempters did not differ on demographic characteristics. Use of natural plant products was more common in impulsive attempters (27.2% vs. 12.7%), while physical methods like hanging was less common (0.7% vs. 7.3%). Those with an impulsive attempt were more likely to have a recent contact with a health professional (24.5% vs. 4.5%). Impulsive suicide attempters had higher scores on BHS (Mann-Whitney U = 7680.5, P < 0.001), and had recollected greater number of stressors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impulsive suicide attempters differ from nonimpulsive suicide attempters in clinical features like methods of attempt, presence of hopelessness, and stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Shivanand
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kattimani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Siddharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Ravi Philip
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rajkumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Menon
keywords: Coping; hopelessness; impulsive; stress; suicide attempt