‘Suicidal Behaviour’ in New South Wales

Abstract

For about fifteen years now a tradition has been evolving in the psychiatric literature towards a taxonomic separation of suicides and attempted suicides, on the assumption that they involve distinct psychogenic factors (Stengel and Cook, 1958; Farberow and Schneidman, 1961). However, even the originator of the distinction agreed that a better understanding of attempted suicide could be gained if it is regarded as conveying a degree of uncertainty that the attempt will succeed or fail (Stengel, 1958), and that the separation of ‘… suicide and attempted suicide … is artificial (as) … it is possible to view suicidal acts as a whole and irrespective of outcome’ (Stengel, 1969, p. 121). The latter view has been reflected in the recent introduction and usage of the term ‘suicidal behaviour’ which includes both suicides and attempted suicides (Hetzel, 1971).