The relationship between a history of attempted suicide & prior course of illness was explored in patients with bipolar (n=67) & unipolar (n=20) affective disorder. Major findings included: females were more likely to have made an attempt than males & were equally likely to have made a violent attempt; course of illness & prior history of psychosis were not related to history of prior attempts; severity of the worst attempt was positively correlated with the duration of illness. (GW)