Assessment in Absentia: the Value of the Psychological Autopsy Method for Studying Antecedents of Suicide and Predicting Future Suicides (IN: Assessment & Prediction of Suicide, ed. by Maris et al)

This chapter provides an historical view of psychological autopsies & highlights some of the findings generated by this form of research, paying particular attention to significant findings, methodological innovations, alternative definitions of the psychological autopsy method, & implications for predicting or averting suicides. It recommends standards & criteria for future psychological autopsy studies & briefly discusses 5 clinical case vignettes. (112 Refs.)