Manifest Predictors of Past Suicide Attempts in a Population of Icelandic Adolescents

The use of manifest indicators to predict which adolescents have attempted suicide is explored. Manifest predictors in the categories of school, leisure, peer & parent relations, consumption & contact with suicidal behaviour could identify either 1/4 of the population containing three-quarters of all suicide attempters or 2% of the population where two-thirds of those predicted actually had attempted suicide. It is concluded that these predictors can complement psychiatric screening. (18 refs.)