Narcissistic personality and vulnerability to late-life suicidality

Marnin Heisel, Paul Links, David Conn, Robert van Reekum, Gordon Flett (2007) Narcissistic personality and vulnerability to late-life suicidality Am J Geriatr Psychiatry (IF: 4) 15(9) 734-41

Abstract

Narcissistic personality (NP) has been implicated as a potential vulnerability factor for late-life suicide. The present study investigated whether NP increases vulnerability to suicidal ideation and behavior among geriatric depression day-hospital patients.Using a retrospective database analysis, the authors examined demographic data, diagnostic information, and scores on self-report (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS]) and clinician-rated depression measures (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAM-D]), for 608 geriatric psychiatry patients 65 years or older.Of the 538 patients meeting study inclusion criteria, 20 had NP, defined as either narcissistic personality disorder (n = 13) or narcissistic personality traits (n = 7). Patients with NP were rated significantly higher on the HAM-D suicide item than those without NP, controlling for age, sex, depression (GDS), and cognitive functioning.Findings suggest that NP may be a clinical marker of elevated suicide risk among depressed older adults. Clinicians are advised to assess the presence of self-pathology and its potential impact upon psychological functioning in depressed older patients, and to incorporate discussions of life transitions into therapeutic work with those at-risk for suicide.

Links

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17804827
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e3180487caa

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