The study of depression and suicidal phenomena among adolescents has lagged behind that of adults. Very few studies have examined attitudes and beliefs of relevance to cognitive therapy among suicidal adolescents. In this study 40 incarcerated juvenile females were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), the Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT), and the Hopelessness Scale (HS). A stepwise discriminant analysis identified seven variables which significantly differentiated the suicidal from the nonsuicidal group. These variables were number of previous attempts, the HS, DAS, subscales 4, 5, and 8 of the IBT (Frustration reactive, emotional irresponsibility, and dependency, respectively), and the subject\u27s living situation prior to incarceration i.e., with both natural parents, in an institution and so on. A further analysis of IBT subscale scores revealed that subscales 8 (Dependency) and 5 (Emotional irresponsibility) of the IBT contributed most to the discriminant function. Implications for future research are discussed
