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Cited by 104Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesPersonality Traits and PsychologyPersonality Disorders and Psychopathology

Openness to experience and completed suicide across the second half of life

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Duberstein, Paul R.·1995·International Psychogeriatrics
DOI 10.1017/s1041610295001967
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Abstract

Personality data gathered in a psychological autopsy study indicate that completed suicides obtain higher neuroticism scores than age- and gender-matched controls. Older suicide victims obtained lower openness to experience (OTE) scores than both younger suicide victims and normal controls. Although the role of neuroticism and negative affect in psychopathology has been discussed extensively, OTE has been accorded relatively little attention in the psychiatric literature. The apparent role of OTE in completed suicide warrants its closer examination. In this article, I offer the testable hypotheses that persons low in OTE are at risk for taking their own lives because their affective dampening, cognitive certainty, diminished behavioral repertoire, and rigidly defined self-concept have decreased their capacity to adapt to the expectable age-associated changes in role, health, and function that accumulate over time. Concrete thinking and excessive focus on proximal, low-level goals place them at risk for descending into states of suicidal meaninglessness in times of stress or crisis. This state of awareness increases the desirability of suicide as an action-oriented solution to the stressors of aging. Other lines of investigation are suggested. These include research on OTE and the neurobiology of suicidal behavior; OTE and gender differences in suicidal behavior; and clinical intervention designed to increase the degree to which one is open to experience.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s1041610295001967

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  • The Big Five personality traits of low Openness to Experience and high Neuroticism distinguished suicides from controls in another study.

    “while in another, the “Big Five” personality traits of low Openness to Experience (OTE) and high Neuroticism (49) distinguished the groups (50).”

    From Suicide in older adults (2011) · cites this paper as [50]

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Authors
Duberstein, P. R.
Affiliations
University of Rochester Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Duberstein, Paul R.
ORCID
Duberstein, Paul R.
Venue
International Psychogeriatrics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1995-06
Volume
7
Issue
2
Pages
183-198
ISSN
1041-6102 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1017/s1041610295001967
OpenAlex
W2071811343
Cited by
104
References
61
Citations by year
2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 5
FWCI
3.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Psychogeriatrics (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH 40381, MH189911, MH00748, K07MH000748)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
Keywords
openness to experience, suicide mortality, older adults, neuroticism, personality traits, psychological autopsy, aging, concrete thinking, gender differences in suicide, suicide prevention interventions
MeSH terms
Suicide Prevention, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aging, Female, Humans, Male, Personality, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sex Factors, Suicide, Suicide, Attempted

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