The Correlation Between Suicide Risk and Emotion Regulation Strategies in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Emotional dysregulation is among the psychological factors involved in the risk of suicide among patients with psychiatric disorders.

Aim: The present study aimed to examine the correlation between cognitive reappraisal and suppression-two strategies for emotional regulation-and the risk of suicide among patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Method: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study. A simple random sample of 100 patients meeting the inclusion criteria and providing informed consent comprised the study sample. The Suicide Probability Scale (SPS), Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to collect data.

Results: The participants' mean scores for reappraisal and suppression subscales of ERQ were 26.84 ± 5.8 and 14.22 ± 3.65, respectively. The SPS total mean score of the participants was 90.84 ± 5.5. The mean score of the participants who attempted suicide on the suppression subscale of the ERQ was higher than the score of those who did not attempt suicide.

Discussion: The results of the study showed that patients with euthymic bipolar disorder who were hospitalised in a psychiatric clinic and were at the discharge stage had a high risk of suicide.

Implications for practice: Planning and implementing clinical procedures by mental health and psychiatric nurses to improve patients' emotional regulation strategies and prevent suicide will help manage suicide risk.