Theories of Suicide (IN: Drugs and Suicide: When Other Coping Strategies Fail, ed. by D J Lettieri)

This paper opens with a discussion of the problem of defining suicide and suicidal behaviours, examining past theorists’ perspectives. Then, a review of basic theories and conceptualizations concerning suicidal behaviour is presented. Included are analytic and psychoanalytic theories, personality syndrom approaches, developmental, power, personal construct, and cognitive theories. Sociological, existentialist, and biological theories are also examined. (+50 ref.)