This study examined the association among suicide attempts, parental alcoholism, psychopathology & drinking history in a sample of hospitalized alcoholics. Attempters were found to have multiple psychiatric diagnoses & more severe psychiatric symptoms. Alcoholic suicide attempters also tended to have a parental history of alcoholism & began abusing alcohol at an early age. Alcohol abuse symptoms were generally similar for suicide attempters & nonattempters. Clinical implications are discussed.