This archival study, utilizing 60 suicide notes from across the adult life span, examines models of suicide. An attempt to replicate a 1989 model failed to account best for the current data & an alternative theoretical model is provided. The present study strongly supports an adult life span perspective. Young adults continue to show the greatest amount of differences in their suicide, e.g. higher levels of psychopathology, lower levels of ego strength & poorer coping abilities. (57 refs)