In this presentation, a study investigating the predictive significance of personality disorder & affective illness in suicidal behaviours was described. A comparison was made of outcome data for 3 groups of patients: suicide attempters in rural Britain; hospital patients with a formal diagnosis of a primary affective disorder; & hospital patients with a formal diagnosis of personality disorder regardless of associate affective feature. Results indicated a greater risk of suicide among the group with personality disorders. Only one-third of those who had attempted suicide were identified to be at risk.