An Exploratory Study of the Motivation in Suicide Attempters

The motivation of one hundred cases of suicide attempters was assessed clinically depending purely on their subjective reports. They were grouped into two, viz., those who primarily wished for a change (here in after called WC) and those who unambiguously wished to die (hereinafter called WD). They were compared with regard to the details of the attempt, methods of attempt, psychiatric and sociodemographic profile. The WC group was observed to have taken less precaution against discovery of their attempt, had low lethality with regard to the method used and had more adjustment problems than psychiatric diseases. They clearly belonged to the low risk group. The WD group had all these findings in the contrary, which put them in the high risk category. This simple way of assessing suicide risk may be having a face validity in the sociocultural context of the present.