Methodological Difficulties in a Follow-up Study Concerning Attempted Suicides

The authors outline the difficulties encountered in a follow up study of attempted suicide. 97% of the sample of 100 had either neurotic or psychotic symptoms. The researchers had not consistently informed the the subjects that initial interviews would be followed up by contact at a later date. However, Most difficuties seemed to arise from the intense need exhibited by these patients to repress the suicide attempt as it invoked guilt feelings in many of them. (NBB)