Gender, Social Roles, and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts in a General Population Sample

Abstract

The present study evaluates the relation between gender, social roles and suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts in a large, adult, general population sample of 4,745 Ss. First, the one year prevalence and the lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts in the population sample is described in relation to gender. Secondly, the relation between gender, social roles, and the rate of suicidal ideation and attempts is examined. How specific roles and interactions among roles may be associated with rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts is explored in relation to each of the social role theories. The following hypotheses are examined: 1. Suicide and gender and 2. Social role theories, gender and suicide. Women were found to have higher lifetime prevalence rates for suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts compared to men. However, gender differences were less pronounced for 1 year prevalence rates. No relation was found between the 3 social role theories examined and suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts. Only one social role, that of marriage, was found to be associated with decreased suicidal ideation and attempts in the general population sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)