The present study investigated the relationship between interpersonal
problems, coping styles, and suicide risk. Seventy-one adult psychiatr
ic inpatients completed a suicide risk scale, a measure of interperson
al problems, and a coping scale designed to measure eight coping style
s. Patients admitted with a history of suicidal attempts were compared
with patients admitted for other reasons. Interpersonal problems were
found to be significantly and positively related to suicide risk. The
coping style of ''suppression'' (tendency to avoid threatening or unc
omfortable situations) was found to be significantly and positively re
lated to suicide risk [F(2, 68) = 4.54, p < .01]. Several other coping
styles were found to be significantly related to suicide risk. These
findings are congruent with a ''two-stage model of countervailing forc
es'' and have both research and clinical implications.