Intensity and duration of suicidal crises vary as a function of previous suicide attempts and negative life events

Borrowing from past conceptual work on the unique characteristics of multip le suicide attempters, as well on the effect of previous suicidal and depre ssive experience on later functioning, the authors hypothesized that negati ve events would be related to intensity of suicidal crises among never- and first-attempters but not among multiple attempters and that negative event s would be related to duration of suicidal crises among multiple attempters but not among never- and first-attempters. Data on past suicide history, n egative life events, and clinician- and self-rated suicidal symptoms were c ollected on 326 suicidal patients, 249 of whom were available at 1-month fo llow-up. Findings conformed to prediction. Previous suicidal experience alt ers the parameters of current suicidal crises. Implications of these findin gs for suicide risk and clinical assessment and management are discussed.