Restoring psychic containers of identity after a suicide attempt in adolescence.

Suicidal acts during adolescence reveal narcissistic vulnerabilities. The author’s observation concerns the quality of ego boundaries, as well as their evolution. Longitudinal studies were conducted on the basis of interviews and projective tests performed within 15 days after the suicide attempt and once again the following year. The quantitative analyses of Fisher and Cleveland’s Barrier/Penetration scores on the Rorschach show the evolution of identity mechanisms. The results underscore the importance of restoring psychic containers of identity.