Characteristics of suicidal (auto-aggressive) behavior in convicts with personality disorders in the period of serving the sentence in places of imprisonment

The aim of study: to analyze and compare features of suicidal (autoaggressive) behavior of convicts with personality disorders and no personality disorders, using clinical-psychopathological and experimental-psychological methods. Mater ial and methods: 96 male convicts serving criminal sentences in correctional institution who committed suicide during the period of serving the sentence were examined. According to the criteria of ICD-10, 62 prisoners were diagnosed with a personality disorder with emotionally unstable, hysterical and mixed manifestations (that was https://суицидология.рф/ Научно-практический журнал Том 10, No 3 (36), 2019 Суицидология 73 the first subgroup), 34 convicts without personality disorders made up the second subgroup. In both subgroups, all subjects were diagnosed as addicted to psychoactive substances (alcohol, opioids), currently not using the substances since their conditions do not provide an opportunity for that. Research methods: clinical-psychopathological, clinicaldynamic and experimental-psychological. As an experimental psychological method, a «Questionnaire for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder» (form A) and a questionnaire of suicidal risk were used. Result . It was found that convicts with personality disorders are characterized by suicidal (n=7) and non-suicidal (n=55) behavior applying cuts to the forearm (in region of cubital vein) – 203 episodes (92%), attempts at self-strangulation (self-suspension) – 10 episodes (4.5%); applying cuts in the abdomen – 5 episodes (2.3%); swallowing various metal objects – 3 episodes (1.2%). Autoaggressive action was preceded by a dramatic affective changes associated with underlying psychogenic factors predominantly in the spheres of interpersonal relations, impulsivity, combined with feelings of loneliness. In the dynamics, there was a stabilization of the emotional state of convicts after the act of self-injuring. Autoaggression of prisoners without personality disorders is characterized with cuts on the forearm in the area of cubital vein (92 episodes). The behavior was predominantly socially-conditioned (blackmail) in character, as a reaction of the individual to the restrictions associated with the regime of serving the sentence. Autoaggressive actions were used by the convicts as an instrument to influence the social situation or individuals. According to the results of the questionnaire for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, there were indicated statistically significant (at P≤0.01) differences between the two subgroups on the scales of «Instability» (χ 2 emp – 5,586), «Autoaggressive behavior» (χ 2 emp – 4.138) and «Intolerance to loneliness» (χ 2 emp – 3.226), with higher results in the personality disorders subgroup. The Spearman rank correlation method helped identify correlations between the level of the suicidal risk questionnaire and the scales of the questionnaire for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder in the examined convicts with personality disorders. Moderate correlation is found at the level P<0,01 between «Intolerance of solitude» scale and «Breaking cultural barriers» scale (rs= -0.475); «Instability» and scales «Demonstrative behavior» (rs=0.415) and «Affectivity» (rs=0.396), «Uniqueness» (rs=0.375), «Insolvency» (rs=0.427), «Social pessimism» (rs=0.326), «Time perspective» (rs=0.475), «Antisuicidal factor» (rs = -0,456); «Self-injuring behavior» and scales «Demonstrative behavior» (rs=0.380), «Affectivity» (rs=0.312), «Uniqueness» (rs=0.382), «Insolvency» (rs=0.434), «Perfectionism» (rs=0.468). The results of the study using a questionnaire for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder indicate a high probability of the presence of emotionally unstable personality disorder borderline type in convicts with emotionally unstable, hysterical and mixed type personality disorders presented in the first subgroup. The obtained clinical-diagnostic and experimental-psychological data on the nature of suicidal (self-injurious) behavior of convicts serving criminal sentences in correctional institution with personal pathology will improve the diagnosis and prognosis of suicidal (autoaggressive) behavior in the penitentiary context.