ABSTRACT

Suicidal behavior, ranging from suicidal thoughts to actual suicide attempts and from interrupted attempts to completed suicides, refers to a broad spectrum that is not limited to only cognitive and behavioral areas. There are many sociological, biological, psychoanalytic, and cognitive models that try to explain suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Moreover, the relationship between early term maladaptive schemas and suicide has recently been the subject of more research. Early maladaptive schemas are considered risk factors for the development of psychological disorders and according to research findings, may increase vulnerability to suicidal behavior. Emphasizing early childhood experiences, including biological vulnerability, and their relationship with suicidal cognitive factors and psychiatric diseases make schemas attractive for understanding suicidal behavior. Studies with children and adolescents report that there may be a relationship between suicidal thoughts and overvigilance and suppression/inhibition, disconnection and rejection schema domains; social isolation, entitlement/grandiosity, failure, dependence/incompetence, emotional deprivation, insufficient self-control and defectiveness/shame schemas.