Psychomotor functioning in suicide attempters: An explorative study using the Resource Oriented Body Examination of Bunkan

Within physical therapy there is a tradition of focusing on body-oriented resources and psychomotor functioning. The aim of the present explorative study was to describe psychomotor functioning such as patterns of muscular tension, posture, resistance to passive movements, respiration, and reactions to palpation in a group of suicide attempters admitted to the Lund Suicide Research Center, Sweden. Fe-three consecutive patients were included in the study (28 women and 25 men; mean age, 42 years; standard deviation, 13; range, 21-80 years). The Resource Oriented Body Examination (ROBE) of Buncan was used to assess psychomotor functioning. In addition, some other tests were undertaken, such as laboratory tests (monoamine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma cortisol after dexamethasone) and temperament ratings. Results indicated that the patients generally showed a high level of psychomotor disturbance as compared with reference values. The ROBE total score was significantly higher in patients who later completed suicide than in the non-completer group (P = 0.02). Two ROBE subgroups were identified. The hypotonic group (n = 19) showed a higher frequency of respiration disturbances (P = 0.01) than the hypertonic group (n = 34). The hypotonic subgroup also had a significantly higher rate of completed suicides at a follow-up 5 years later (P = 0.048). With regard to biochemical tests, the hypotonic group comprised significantly more cases with high levels of cortisol after dexamethasone (P = 0.02). In conclusion, controlled studies of psychomotor functioning in suicide attempters ought to be performed. In our opinion the results of the present study enerate interesting hypotheses.