Difficulties in Emotion Regulation: Are They the Preventable Cause of Suicide, Impulsivity, and Aggression in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder?

BACKGROUND

Difficulties in emotion regulation have begun to be seen as the source of psychopathologies. It is one of the underlying factors of patients' suicidality, impulsivity, and aggression. This study aims to determine the difficulties in emotion regulation in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) patients and their relationship with suicidality, aggression, and impulsivity. It also emphasizes the importance of emotion regulation in these patients.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

52 healthy individuals, 58 BD, and 55 SZ patients in remission were included in the study. The participants were informed before the study, and their written consent was obtained. Suicide Probability Scale (SPS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) were administered to all three groups.

RESULTS

DERS scores of patients with BD and SZ were higher than healthy individuals. SPS scores of patients with BD and SZ were higher than healthy individuals. The motor and total scores of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) were higher in patients with BD than in patients with SZ and healthy individuals. According to Spearman correlation analysis, a significant positive relationship was found between all subscales of DERS and all subscales of SPS; physical aggression, anger, and hostility subscales of BPAQ; attention and motor subscales of BIS-11.

CONCLUSION

Suicidality may increase in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder who have difficulty in emotion regulation. Determining the difficulties of emotion regulation may contribute to the presumption and prevention of suicides in BD and SZ patients with a high risk of death by suicide.