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T HE IMPORTANCE of the plhenomenoni of suicide is gauged by the fact that more than 20,000 people take their lives eaclh year ini the UInited States (1).Professional psychli- atric, psyclhological, anid social services might save many potentially suicidal persons if the danger is anticipated.In our continuiiing stud(ly of suicide at the Veteranis Admiinistration Neuropsyclhiatric Hospital in Los An1geles County, Calif. (2-4), we are attemiptinig to (is- cover a few of the daniger signals.A basic poinit of view imiplicit in our stuidy is that we believe suicide to be motivated by soci- ologic, cultural, ecologic, psychological, anti many other factors (5-8).Another basic p)oinit of view is our belief that meaninlgful sttudies of
Shneidman et al. (Sun,) studied this question.