Death Without Warning? A Clinical Postmortem Study of Suicide in 43 Israeli Adolescent Males

In this article, male suicides, occurring during military service in the mid-1980s, were studied using preinduction assessment data, service records, & postmortem interviews. 53.5% met formal criteria for major depressive disorder. However, most cases appeared recent & reactive. Findings, at partial variance with USA studies, suggest a complex relationship between suicide & mental disorder. Failure to prevent these suicides highlights unresolved questions of etiology & intervention. (31 Refs.)