33 hospitalized Italian patients who had attempted suicide in the previous six months were examined using an indepth assessment of the pathway to suicide. The aims of this study were to compare the psychopathological, personality, & psychosocial characteristics of subjects with mood disorders alone, personality disorders & dysfunctional personality alone, & mood disorders with personality disorders &/or dysfunctional personality; & to analyse the relationship between the method chosen & the clinical characteristics of the subgroups. (34 refs.)