Which term describes a suicide attempt that is intentional but does not result in death?

Which term describes a suicide attempt that is intentional but does not result in death?

• A. Parasuicide
• B. Pseudosuicide
• C. Sublethal suicide
• D. Subintentional suicide

Answer: (A)

Parasuicide describes a deliberate self-harm act that is intended to cause death but does not result in death. It captures the pattern of a nonfatal suicide attempt or a suicide gesture, where the person has death-related intent but the outcome is nonfatal. This distinction helps clinicians recognize ongoing distress and assess risk, separate from non-suicidal self-injury, which involves no intent to die. The other terms aren’t standard clinical labels, so parasuicide is the best way to describe an intentional act that does not kill.

Parasuicide describes a deliberate self-harm act that is intended to cause death but does not result in death. It captures the pattern of a nonfatal suicide attempt or a suicide gesture, where the person has death-related intent but the outcome is nonfatal. This distinction helps clinicians recognize ongoing distress and assess risk, separate from non-suicidal self-injury, which involves no intent to die. The other terms aren’t standard clinical labels, so parasuicide is the best way to describe an intentional act that does not kill.