The perception of death gradually develops in a child's mind, reaching maturity at about 8 or 9 years of age. A mature death concept usually means a definition which includes the perception of death as a natural process, its finality, its irreversibility, and its universality. A study was undertaken to improve knowledge about the death concept. Suicidal individuals (N=39) were interviewed a few days after they had attempted suicide. Subjects were asked to recall their thoughts on death just before they attempted suicide. The analysis of their answers showed that their concepts of death expressed various different wishes including the desire to sleep, to rest, to forget, to put an end to something, to change a painful relationship, or to join a dead loved one. Underlying all of these thoughts was the idea that it was possible to be born again. The feeling that death is definitely the end or nothingness was rarely expressed. These findings suggest a lack of maturity in the death concept of most suicidal people. Compared to first attempters, repeat suicide attempters showed less consciousness of death and the risk of loss of life entailed in their suicide attempt. (Author/NB)