Suicidal ideations among medical students: The role of anhedonia and type D personality

BACKGROUND: The relationships between hedonic deficits, type D personality and suicidal ideation were explored in a group of medical students. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 382 medical students filled out several questionnaires measuring suicide risk, depression (using the Beck Depression Inventory, i.e. BDI), type D personality (using the type D personality scale-14, i.e. DS-14) and anhedonia (using the anhedonia subscale of the BDI, the Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale, the Anticipatory and Consummatory subscales of the Physical Anhedonia Scale). RESULTS: State anhedonia and, in particular, recent change of state anhedonia and not trait anhedonia was significantly associated with suicidal ideation, specifically when depression was controlled for. Negative affectivity component of type D personality and anhedonia were independent predictors of suicidal ideation even when depression was controlled for. Loss of pleasure and not loss of interest was a significant predictor of suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Change of state anhedonia and its component of loss of pleasure measuring dissatisfaction in life could be a risk factor of suicidal ideation in medical students. Dissatisfaction, particularly in the medical course, could be a strong predictor of suicidal ideation in medical students.