This article reviews the literature on the communication of suicidal intent by completed suicides. Research problems and methodological differences which limit knowledge about suicidal communications are discussed. Despite these difficulties, available data confirms that suicides frequently do communicate their intent. Furthermore, suicides identified as noncommunicators may, nevertheless, provide cues suggesting their intent. Although a few differences are indicated, attempts to distinguish communicators from noncommunicators according to such variables as sex, age, marital status, education, religion, social status, and clinical diagnosis have met with little success.
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