Lethal Stress: a Social-Behavioral Model of Suicidal Behavior (IN: Handbook of Life Stress, Cognition and Health, edited by S Fisher & J Reason)

Definitions & methodological issues related to suicidology & stress research are reviewed & their relevance to the studies presented are clarified. The definition of parasuicide was chosen for all non-fatal deliberate self-injurious behavior, & the interactive nature of suicidal behavior & environmental events was stressed. A diathesis-stress model of suicidal behavior was advanced & the literature relevant to each point of the model was reviewed.