The Psychology of Suicide (IN: Focus Group on Suicide Prevention: Presentations, by Department of Health, Medical Services Branch)

Suicide is an act of intentional self-destruction which may be studied from a number of disciplines. This chapter reviews the psychological approach & relies heavily on Shneidman’s Theory which incorporates 6 aspects & 10 commonalities of suicide. There is some discussion of the interpersonal elements of suicide, e.g. communication of suicidal intent, & psychological correlates involved in suicide, i.e. pain-perturbation, pain-press, & press-perturbation. (7 refs.)