RESEARCH NOTE - AN ATTEMPT TO CLASSIFY ADOLESCENT PARASUICIDE ATTEMPTERS

This paper examines some of the literature available on the subject of adolescent suicide attempts. It discusses the extent to which it is p ossible to identify sub-groupings within groupings of young people who took overdoses. It suggests on the basis of the study undertaken (and in reference to other studies) that it may be possible to identify su b-groupings. The paper also discusses in detail a study carried out ex amining characteristics of two groups of young people-one who had been admitted to hospital following a single overdose attempt, and a secon d group who had several admissions to hospital following repeated over dose attempts. The implications of these findings are discussed in ter ms of the possibilities of identifying young people who are at an incr eased risk of repeating an overdose attempt, and the issues for practi tioners and service managers are identified.