[Suicide attempt and hopelessness].

Suicidal subjects can be divided into those who think about suicide, those who attempt it and those who complete it. Since any suicidal manifestation is a potential risk this classification can also be treated as a continuum of increasing severity. This paper reports on the relationship between the psychological dimension of hopelessness and factors such as suicidal ideation, depressiveness, suicide attempt and attempt repetition. Data from 63 female patients with a recent suicide attempt from an ambulatory psychiatric service in Santiago South were clinically and psychometrically evaluated by means of appropriate instruments. Hopelessness correlated positively with severity of depression, number of previous attempts, current suicidal ideation and suicidal intent. Hopelessness score of 11 or more were frustrated by survival and were ambivalent. The mediating role of hopelessness between depression and suicidality is stressed.