The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was used in an in-patient crisis unit to determine whether the test could identify suicidal patients who might benefit from tricyclic antidepressants. DST results, DSM-III diagnoses, and measures of symptom levels were obtained for 72 patients admitted for a 3-5 day period. Result were non-indicative. The poor specificity of the DST in this patient population suggests that its routine use in such patients could be highly misleading.