This study examined psychological & interpersonal risk factors for suicidal behaviour in a sample of 285 low income, African American women. 148 had presented to hospital following a suicide attempt & 137 for general medical care. Psychological risk factors for suicide attempts at the univariate level included psychological distress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, hopelessness, & drug abuse. Interpersonal risk factors at the univariate level were relationship discord, physical abuse by partner, nonphysical abuse by partner, childhood maltreatment, & low levels of social support. A multivariate logistic regression model identified psychological distress, hopelessness, drug abuse, & relationship discord as being strongly & independently associated with an increased risk for suicide attempts. (52 refs.) JA