Attempted suicide and self-injury in patients diagnosed with eating disorders

Stein, Daniel; Lilenfeld, Lisa R.R.; Wildman, Prudence C.; Marcus, Marsha D.

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2004.07.011

« Previous Next »Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 45, Issue 6 , Pages 447-451, November 2004

Attempted suicide and self-injury in patients diagnosed with eating disorders☆

Daniel Stein
- The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Address reprint requests to Daniel Stein, M.D., Pediatric Psychosomatic Department, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel
Lisa R.R. Lilenfeld
- The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Prudence C. Wildman
- The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Marsha D. Marcus
- The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Abstract

Eating disorders (ED) patients are at high risk for developing suicidal behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate factors associated with suicidal behavior in ED patients. One hundred fifty patients at an outpatient ED clinic were included in the study. Data were gathered by retrospective chart analysis. We found that 48 patients (32%) had a history of parasuicide (i.e., suicide attempts, self-injury, or both). A significantly greater percentage of parasuicidal patients than nonparasuicidal patients had EDs with bingeing/pursing symptomatology, used more than one type of purging method, and had a lifetime history of a drug use disorder, impulse control problems, and bipolar disorder, as well as a more extensive outpatient and inpatient treatment history. The findings of this study support an increased tendency toward impulsivity among parasuicidal ED outpatients.