Community Adjustment of Patients Who Threaten and Attempt Suicide

Abstract

Community adjustment data were analyzed for 871 persons entering two Missouri state hospitals. Patients were identified as having made suicidal threats or attempts (or neither) as part of their presenting problems. Multivariate relationships between suicide behaviors and community adjustment variables were studied. Those who made suicide threats showed more pathology on 9 adjustment variables than those who did not and they could be identified as threateners by their adjustment patterns with 77% accuracy. Those who attempted suicide showed greater depression and drug abuse but less impairment of household responsibilities than those who did not attempt suicide. Specific prediction was less successful. Those who made suicide attempts without accompanying threats were unpredictable.