Assessed relationship between religiosity and attitudes toward suicide among 186 Christian adults. Found significant correlational pattern, such that persons higher on religiosity tended to perceive suicide as reflective of mental illness, less a cry for help, not individual's prerogative, highly related to lack of religious influence, abnormal…

Thirty suicides about whom book-length biographies have been written were examined in the framework of the 10 statements formulated by Leenaars for each of his 10 theories of suicide. Suicides who fit well with particular theories were identified, and the theories compared both for their success in describing the suicides and for their similarity…

Reviews concepts of hope and of suicide and explores relationship among hope, hopelessness, and suicide. Examines mutual involvement of hope and suicide with the perceived future and offers suggestions for therapy. Concludes that hope is factor important not only in understanding suicide and hopelessness but in understanding wellness and healthy…

Notes that suicide is chief cause of premature death among schizophrenic persons, with lifetime incidence of suicide for patients with schizophrenia at 10-13% compared to general population estimate of 1%. Discusses salient risk factors for suicide in schizophrenics and types of especially vulnerable patients identified by research. Notes that…

Presents case summary of 58-year-old woman, terminally ill with cancer, who is contemplating suicide. Includes comments from Kjell Rudestam from the Fielding Institute and from Margaret Battin from the University of Utah who debate appropriate responses to people who contemplate suicide because of terminal illness. (NB)

Examined relationship between farm economic crisis and farmer suicide rates using data from 15 states from 1980 to 1985. Found suicide rates for farmers were greater than truck drivers but no different from forestry workers. (Author/ABL)

Hypothesizes that at least some suicidal individuals are characterized by disposition toward dissociation manifested in relative insensitivity to physical pain and indifference to their bodies. Three main topics are discussed: dissociation and suicide, psychological aspects of pain, and pain and suicide. (Author/NB)

Used structural equation modeling involving latent variables to evaluate whether construct of hopelessness mediates between constructs of problem-solving appraisal and suicide ideation. Findings from 217 young adults in outpatient program targeting suicidal behavior indicated significant direct effect for hopelessness and significant indirect…

Presence of suicide prevention centers in a state in 1970 was negatively associated with changes in suicide rate from 1970 to 1980, indicating preventive effect from suicide prevention centers. This effect, though weak, was consistently found for most demographic subgroups and when strong social correlate of suicide rates (divorce rates) was taken…

Determining suicide risk is a complex matter. A typology of adolescents' most common explanations for discrepant reporting of suicidal behavior is presented. Answers to interview questions were compared to a self-report measure, and adolescent in-patients (N=48) were asked to clarify discrepancies. Seven mutually exclusive and exhaustive…

Used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to investigate links between sexual orientation and suicidality. There was a strong link between adolescent sexual orientation and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This relationship was mediated by critical youth suicide risk factors (depression, hopelessness, alcohol abuse,…

Analysis of rates of further suicidal behavior among individuals making medically serious suicide attempts may help to predict suicide and suicide attempt from baseline characteristics of the individual and the index suicide attempt. Data are drawn from a 5-year study of 302 individuals making medically serious suicide attempts with information…

Understanding the relationship between depression and suicidal behavior among individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder can aid assessment and treatment. In this study, 86 individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder were assessed for past and current suicidal behavior, depression, hopelessness, and reasons for…

Three important psychological dimensions in the suicide literature (neuroticism, self-criticism, and hopelessness) were examined in relation to suicidal ideation and attempts in the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey (Kessler et al., 1994; n = 5,877), after first controlling for the effects of previously identified sociodemographic and psychiatric…

The military has a well-defined population with suicide prevention programs that have been recognized as possible models for civilian suicide prevention efforts. Monitoring prevention programs requires accurate reporting. In civilian settings, several studies have confirmed problems in the reporting and classification of suicides. This analysis…