Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Traits and their Relationship to Suicidal Behaviors in an Adolescent Inpatient Population

Samantha Spencer, Pace University

Abstract

VERONICA MARSH GREGG, Examining the Motivational and Persistence Factors of Military Spouses Pursuing Degrees in Higher Education (under the direction of) Dr. Linda Wilson-Jones. The present study examined the relationship between personality factors and various aspects of suicidal behavior in an adolescent psychiatric sample. While there have been some studies focused on personality traits of individuals who have suicidal ideation or have made attempts, few have studied adolescents, and none have used the Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent (MMPI-A). This study focused specifically on several suicidal behaviors including suicidal ideation, as measured by the Personality Assessment Inventory - Adolescent (PAI-A) Suicidal Ideation Scale, presence of suicidal intent or a plan, history of suicide attempts (recency, number of attempts, lethality), and self-harm behavior. Suicide risk as measured by the Rorschach Suicide Constellation was also examined. Results indicated all five PSY-5 variables were found to be associated with suicidal behaviors. PSY-5 Aggressiveness, Psychoticism, Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism, and Introversion were found to be associated with suicidal ideation as measured by the PAI-A. Differences between gender were also found. Lower Aggressiveness scores, indicating passivity and lack of assertiveness, were found to be associated with several suicidal behaviors in females including suicidal intent, plan, attempt, both historically and recently, lethality, and multiple attempts. PSY-5 Disconstraint was found to be associated with history of suicide attempt, recent attempt, and multiple attempts in males. PSY-5 Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism was also found to be associated with suicidal intent, plan, and recent attempt, lethality, and self-injury. PSY-5 Psychoticism and Introversion were not found to have a particularly strong relationship with other suicidal behaviors in this study.

Subject Area

Clinical psychology|Personality psychology|Psychology

Recommended Citation

Spencer, Samantha, "Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Traits and their Relationship to Suicidal Behaviors in an Adolescent Inpatient Population" (2021). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI28943445.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI28943445

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