Year: 1981 Source: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, v.11, no.4, (Winter 1981), p.325-340 SIEC No: 19860555

Defines a psychological autopsy & its purposes & discusses some related theoretical background & ways of actually performing psychological autopsies. Functions of the psychological autopsy & questions about suicide statistics are discussed, & suggestions are made for the conceptual improvement of the death certificate. It is concluded that the psychodynamics of death should be introduced into the death certificate.