This study assessed the contribution of physical abuse to increased risk for suicidal behaviours in physically abused adolescents compared with nonabused adolescents, using the Suicide Probability Scale. Physically abused adolescents had higher mean scores on the Hopelessness, Negative Self-Evaluation, Hostility, & Suicide Ideation subscales. Significant predictors of subscale & overall scores included parent & adolescent psychopathology, poor academic performance, & decreased family cohesiveness. Physical abuse was a significant predictor of negative self-evaluation scores. A model proposing an indirect relationship between physical abuse & suicide risk is described. (36 refs.)