Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder
BackgroundSuicide is the primary cause of death in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). Among various personality traits, neuroticism is particularly relevant to suicide risk. However, its role in MDD and BD has not been examined sufficiently. This study characteri...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1527054/full |
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| author | Yujie Xing Yujie Xing Tian Li Tian Li Zhen Mao Zhen Mao Lei Zhao Lei Zhao Yue Sun Yue Sun Qitong Jiang Qitong Jiang Chuanyue Wang Chuanyue Wang Qijing Bo Qijing Bo |
| author_facet | Yujie Xing Yujie Xing Tian Li Tian Li Zhen Mao Zhen Mao Lei Zhao Lei Zhao Yue Sun Yue Sun Qitong Jiang Qitong Jiang Chuanyue Wang Chuanyue Wang Qijing Bo Qijing Bo |
| author_sort | Yujie Xing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundSuicide is the primary cause of death in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). Among various personality traits, neuroticism is particularly relevant to suicide risk. However, its role in MDD and BD has not been examined sufficiently. This study characterized neuroticism in patients with MDD or BD, and analyzed the association between neuroticism and suicide risk in these patients.MethodsThis study collected demographic information and personality traits of MDD and BD patients. Group differences were assessed using t-tests, chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. To identify factors associated with suicide risk, correlation analysis was first conducted, followed by bivariate and generalized ordered logistic regression for significant variables, including neuroticism. Sensitivity analyses were performed by progressively excluding potential confounders to evaluate the robustness of neuroticism’s effect. Additionally, simple mediation analyses using a bootstrap approach were conducted to examine whether depressive symptoms mediated the association between neuroticism and suicide risk in MDD and BD separately. A two-tailed P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe study population comprised 88 MDD patients and 90 BD patients. Lifetime suicide risk was present in 39.3% of the study population. In the entire sample, neuroticism was significantly associated with both lifetime (r = 0.18, P = 0.018) and current suicide risk (r = 0.17, P = 0.024). In patients with MDD, through mediation analysis, neuroticism predicted both depressive symptom severity (B = 0.25, P < 0.001) and current suicide risk (B = 0.02, P = 0.022), while also indirectly influencing current suicide risk through depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01–0.02). In BD patients, neuroticism predicted depressive symptoms (B = 0.13, P = 0.002) but not current suicide risk (B < 0.01, P = 0.714), while depressive symptoms fully mediated this relationship (B = 0.06, P < 0.001).ConclusionNeuroticism plays a significant role in influencing suicide risk among MDD and BD, through its effect on depressive symptoms. Interventions for neuroticism can reduce depressive symptoms and suicide risk. This highlights the necessity of identification and management of neuroticism in suicide prevention strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-730fb7f2d5cc44f5aa8db2cd82cf24f0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-730fb7f2d5cc44f5aa8db2cd82cf24f02025-08-20T02:25:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-05-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15270541527054Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorderYujie Xing0Yujie Xing1Tian Li2Tian Li3Zhen Mao4Zhen Mao5Lei Zhao6Lei Zhao7Yue Sun8Yue Sun9Qitong Jiang10Qitong Jiang11Chuanyue Wang12Chuanyue Wang13Qijing Bo14Qijing Bo15Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaAdvanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaBackgroundSuicide is the primary cause of death in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD). Among various personality traits, neuroticism is particularly relevant to suicide risk. However, its role in MDD and BD has not been examined sufficiently. This study characterized neuroticism in patients with MDD or BD, and analyzed the association between neuroticism and suicide risk in these patients.MethodsThis study collected demographic information and personality traits of MDD and BD patients. Group differences were assessed using t-tests, chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. To identify factors associated with suicide risk, correlation analysis was first conducted, followed by bivariate and generalized ordered logistic regression for significant variables, including neuroticism. Sensitivity analyses were performed by progressively excluding potential confounders to evaluate the robustness of neuroticism’s effect. Additionally, simple mediation analyses using a bootstrap approach were conducted to examine whether depressive symptoms mediated the association between neuroticism and suicide risk in MDD and BD separately. A two-tailed P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe study population comprised 88 MDD patients and 90 BD patients. Lifetime suicide risk was present in 39.3% of the study population. In the entire sample, neuroticism was significantly associated with both lifetime (r = 0.18, P = 0.018) and current suicide risk (r = 0.17, P = 0.024). In patients with MDD, through mediation analysis, neuroticism predicted both depressive symptom severity (B = 0.25, P < 0.001) and current suicide risk (B = 0.02, P = 0.022), while also indirectly influencing current suicide risk through depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.01–0.02). In BD patients, neuroticism predicted depressive symptoms (B = 0.13, P = 0.002) but not current suicide risk (B < 0.01, P = 0.714), while depressive symptoms fully mediated this relationship (B = 0.06, P < 0.001).ConclusionNeuroticism plays a significant role in influencing suicide risk among MDD and BD, through its effect on depressive symptoms. Interventions for neuroticism can reduce depressive symptoms and suicide risk. This highlights the necessity of identification and management of neuroticism in suicide prevention strategies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1527054/fullsuicide riskmajor depressive disorderbipolar disorderpersonality traitsneuroticism |
| spellingShingle | Yujie Xing Yujie Xing Tian Li Tian Li Zhen Mao Zhen Mao Lei Zhao Lei Zhao Yue Sun Yue Sun Qitong Jiang Qitong Jiang Chuanyue Wang Chuanyue Wang Qijing Bo Qijing Bo Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder Frontiers in Psychiatry suicide risk major depressive disorder bipolar disorder personality traits neuroticism |
| title | Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| title_full | Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| title_fullStr | Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| title_short | Effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| title_sort | effects of neuroticism on suicide risk in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder |
| topic | suicide risk major depressive disorder bipolar disorder personality traits neuroticism |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1527054/full |
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