Suicide among gifted women: A prospective study.

The longitudinal data from the Terman Genetic Studies of Genius (L. M. Terman, 1925; Terman and M. Oden, 1947, 1959) were used to predict suicide in 40 women: 8 suicides, 15 Ss who were matched with the suicides on age of death, and 17 Ss who were still living in 1964. The Terman studies covered 60 yrs and followed 1,528 gifted individuals (IQs over 135) from childhood into the retirement years. Seven variables from the Ss' files were assessed as possible predictors of suicide: S's physical health, early loss of the father, stress in the family of origin, problems with alcohol, and 3 indices of mental health ("signatures" [e.g., suicide attempts, alcohol abuse, depression]; self-reports of temperament; and a cumulative mental health rating developed by Terman). A discriminant function analysis was able to differentiate the women who committed suicide from the 2 control groups. A 7-variable function predicted 100% of the suicides. A 4-variable function predicted 75% of the suicides. It is concluded that suicide risk factors can be identified in women and that certain signatures of suicide are as useful in predicting female suicide as male suicide. (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)