This article assesses the concept of the “expendable child” syndrome proposed by Sabbath (1969) as a contributing factor in adolescent suicide attempts. 40 adolescents, aged 13-24, who had suicidality & a 12-item scale of expendability (i.e. a sense of being unwanted &/or a burden on the family). Suicidal adolescents received significantly higher ratings on the expendabliity measure. (VM)