This paper reviews recent research into the assessment & clinical management of suicide risk in patients with personality diagnoses. Results indicate that DSM diagnoses classified as B personality diagnoses carry the most serious suicide risk. Factors increasing suicide risk in these patients include the presence of co-morbid mood or addiction disorders, severity of childhood sexual abuse, antisocial or impulsive characteristics, & a history of irregular psychiatric care discharges. Hospitalization may be counter-productive & regressive in some personality-disordered patients. (45 refs) (SC)