title: Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness in suicide notes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Joiner's interpersonal theory of suicide postulates that suicide occurs because of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, combined with a capability for committing suicide.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study examines the frequency of the presence of the themes of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness in suicide notes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 261 suicide notes from 1091 consecutive completed suicides in Tasmania were rated for the presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Contrary to the theory, few suicide notes were found to include perceived burdensomeness (10.3%) and thwarted belongingness (30.7%), and only 4.2% had both themes. The notes of women more often contained the theme of perceived burdensomeness, while the notes of younger suicides more often contained the theme of thwarted belongingness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Joiner's theory of suicide may apply to only a small percentage of suicides who leave suicide notes.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers, The State University, <location>Camden, NJ, USA</location>
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005144:F Factor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013648:Tasmania; D055815:Young Adult