SUICIDE AND NATURAL DEATH IN A STATE HOSPITAL POPULATION - A COMPARISON OF ADMISSION COMPLAINTS, MMPI PROFILES, AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE FACTORS

Contrasted completed suicides in a state hospital with natural deaths and inpatients. No significant differences were found among the groups on patterns of admission complaints. For all 3 groups (Ns = 27, 173, 109), depression was found to be the most frequent admission complaint. Neither MMPI profiles nor a recently developed suicide threat scale served to discriminate suicides from the comparison groups. Highly significant differences were found on social competence variables, with suicides tending to be younger, more intelligent, and better educated than comparison groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.