Attitudes and psychological characteristics of suicidal individuals

The study of suicidal behavior is so complex that the search continues for clues that might explain why some people make successful suicide attempts on their lives. In this article, the authors describe attitudes and psychological characteristics of suicidal psychiatric patients and university students in Transkei. Using a specially designed suicide proneness inventory, the authors describe three factors associated with suicide proneness in Transkei, namely, Suicidal Ideation, Feeling Abandoned, and Lack of Self-Esteem. The findings suggest that suicide wishes are probably more prevalent in the general population than clinical evidence might suggest. Also, it appears that the two most important factors associated with high risk for suicide are a person's inability to cope with stressful situations and a negative personal attitude toward life.