For the heterogeneous parasuicide population as a whole, psychological variables are unlikely to improve upon the Beck Hopelessness Scale, sociodemographic risk factors and clinical interview in the prediction of parasuicide repetition.

The relationship between effectiveness of interpersonal problem-solving and specificity of autobiographical memory was examined for 35 patients admitted to an inner-city District General Hospital following a deliberate drug-overdose. The results replicated those of Evans, Williams, O'Loughlin and Howells (1992) in finding a significant correlation between ineffective problem-solving and the over-general retrieval of autobiographical memories, giving further support to the suggestion that an over-general memory database may underpin the problem-solving deficits characteristic of parasuicide patients. However, the correlation coefficient computed was notably lower than in the Evans et al. study and an attempt is made to explain this discrepancy on the basis of differences in the levels of psychopathology between the patients involved in each study.

This article describes the prevalence of suicidal behaviour, both nationally and in relation to one inner city district general hospital. The authors discuss what is currently known about risk assessment for identifying those patients likely to repeat the act in the near future. They also examine the findings of a recent survey about nurses' perceptions and attitudes to patients who take deliberate drug overdoses. The survey found that nurses possessed some of the facts about risk factors relating to future parasuicidal intent and displayed generally professional attitudes to the treatment of these patients in general medical wards and A&E, but they appeared to show negative personal reactions after caring for patients who self-harm.

This pilot study describes the provision of information tailored to meet the needs of families caring for a chronic schizophrenic member. An existing education package (Smith and Birchwood, 1987) was adapted to give greater emphasis to negative symptoms, myths/stereotypes and “quality of life” issues. A range of outcome measures revealed that the “original” education package promoted a greater reduction in the level of family burden whereas the “modified” package tended to promote greater belief in the efficacy of medication. Both educational programmes were associated with significant gains in knowledge per se (but not in “functional knowledge”) and significant positive changes in families' beliefs about their own role in the treatment process. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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