Suicide attempts and ideation: adolescents evaluated on a pediatric ward.

This study compared psychological, familial, and demographic data for 42 suicidal, 16 suicide ideation, and 42 control pediatric patients. Chaotic families and behavior problems, as well as depression, constriction, and lack of insight, differentiated the suicide attempt group from the control group. The suicide ideation group was similar to both the control and suicide attempt groups and seen as "intermediate" between these two. In assessing lethality of the attempt, constriction was the only predictor differentiating the serious from less serious suicide attempt.