Suicide Among Gifted Women: A Prospective Study

Longitudinal Data from the Terman Genetic Studies of Genius were used to predict suicide in 40 women: 8 suicides, 15 women who were matched with the suicides on age of death, and 17 subjects who were still living in 1964. Seven variables from the subjects’ files were assessed as possible predictors of suicide. The results indicate that suicide risk factors can be identified in women and certain “signatures” of suicide are as useful in predicting female suicide as male suicide.