Fifty self-poisoning patients aged 14-19 admitted to a city hospital were studied. Most were girls from social classes III & IV. Immigrants were over represented. Mean scores on N scale of EPI were high; scores on Raven’s were bimodally distributed. Most patients had suffered family separation or disturbance; overdose followed interpersonal crises. Few had psychiatric illness. Withdrawal from treatment was common. Over 50% improved after 1 year; up to 25% continued disturbed.