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On Buckeyes, Gators, Super Bowl Sunday, and the Miracle on Ice: ?Pulling Together? is Associated With Lower Suicide Rates
Abstract
Joiner's (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of serious suicidal behavior asserts that the need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) is so powerful that, when satisfied, it can prevent suicide. We investigate the hypothesis that perceived membership in a valued group as well as interactions with group members result in sports-related "pulling together" that may meet the need to belong. We found that local suicide rates correlated with final national rankings of local college football teams; fewer suicides occurred on the day of the "Miracle on Ice" than on any other February 22; and fewer suicides occurred on recent Super Bowl Sundays compared to non-Super Bowl Sundays. Implications for models of suicidality as well as clinical utility are discussed.
... A study conducted among those who attempted suicide found that three variables were common in the month prior to the attempt: withdrawal in feelings of belongingness, feelings of burdensomeness on others and refusal to accept help from others (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006;Rudd, Joiner, & Rajab, 1996). ...
... A study conducted in the United States, which examined the connection between belongingness and suicidality, found that when the football league takes place intensively, people fill cohesion and part of group. This usually increases the individual's feelings of belongingness and delays suicide attempts (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006). ...
... From here, the way to an increase in the passion to die is short. This process will become active and lethal if the individual will be able to turn the suicidal thought into an active behaviour targeted at causing self-harm to the degree that can cause death (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006). ...
This chapter will present the two suicide facilitating processes (dissociation and habituation) and their relationship to suicidal behaviour. Nearly all empirical research deals with the causes and factors of suicide, with the understanding that not everyone who is considered at risk will actually turn to suicidal behaviour. Suicide facilitating factors are different from the reason for suicide in that they do not constitute a direct cause for suicide, even though they do raise the risk of the suicidal act. In the literature there are two suicide facilitating processes: dissociation and habituation. The dissociation concept may turn into an ineffective mechanism of severance and escape from coping. This severance mechanism manifests, among others, in a lack of physical pain sensation and in indifference towards the body and the self. In stressful situations it may be a factor which facilitates executing the suicidal behaviour. The habituation concept refers to the substantial ability to carry out the suicidal idea through a mental process of practice, coping with pain and self-harm. When this ability is acquired, the risk of suicidal behaviour increases. These two on their own cannot directly bring to suicide, but their presence increases the probability of suicidal behaviour, and thus their investigation constitutes an important addition to the understanding of the suicidal process.
... 16 This concept can be observed when considering changes in suicide rates in the wake of national tragedies: some tragedies are associated with reduced suicide rates, whereas others are associated with increased suicide rates. 17,18 One hypothesis to describe this phenomenon is societal "pulling together" versus "pulling apart." Pulling together may involve an increased sense of belonging to a community, of being "in it together," and of being part of a larger whole, and has been posited to be a contributor to reduced rates of suicide following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, 19 the Challenger disaster in 1986, 17 and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. ...
... 17,18 One hypothesis to describe this phenomenon is societal "pulling together" versus "pulling apart." Pulling together may involve an increased sense of belonging to a community, of being "in it together," and of being part of a larger whole, and has been posited to be a contributor to reduced rates of suicide following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, 19 the Challenger disaster in 1986, 17 and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. 20 It is important to note, however, that suicide rates following September 11, 2001 may differ across subgroups 21 and that not all experts agree on how to best analyze and interpret the effects of national tragedies on suicide rates. ...
Older age and medical comorbidity are factors associated with more severe illness and risk of death due to COVID-19 infection. Social distancing is an important public health strategy for controlling the spread of the virus and minimizing its impact on the older adult population. It comes at a cost, however. Loneliness is associated with myriad adverse health outcomes, one of which is impaired immune functioning, which adds even greater risk for corona virus infection, complications and death. Older adults, therefore, are at compound risk, making effective management of loneliness and social isolation in our older patients a high priority target for preventive intervention. In this paper, we describe a cognitive-behavioral framework for social connectedness, including evidence-informed strategies clinicians can use to help patients develop a ‘Connections Plan’ to stay connected and promote their social, mental, and physical health during ‘social distancing’ restrictions. This set of strategies can be provided during brief (30 minute) telephone sessions and is analogous to creating a ‘Safety Plan’ for suicide risk. The approach is illustrated with three case examples.
... 17,29,30 "Pulling together" by collectively engaging into meaningful, value-driven activity during crises can attenuate the impact of perceived burdensomeness, while concurrently increasing belongingness. 31 It can also promote resilience, 32 and individual and collective sense of control. 30 Moreover, as individuals experience a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and connectedness, they are more likely to experience decreased risk for suicidal ideation and suicidal self-directed violence. ...
... 30 Moreover, as individuals experience a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and connectedness, they are more likely to experience decreased risk for suicidal ideation and suicidal self-directed violence. [32][33][34] Thus, providing rural communities with the resources to come together to increase sense of purpose, while simultaneously protecting the most vulnerable community members from infection, is integral. One option for beginning to address this is for rural communities to create opportunities for remote volunteering (eg, fundraising or providing supplies for individuals who are unable to leave their homes) through local organizations or grassroots efforts. ...
... Finally, investigating sport fans within social psychology may become more important in future because sport has a role in our lives that is on par with religion and politics (Higgs, 1995;Novak, 1976;. This can be seen in terms of cultural expression (Giulianotti & Robertson, 2007;Naughright & Black, 1998) as already discussed, and strengthening societies through social affiliations (Bairner, 2001;Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006;Melnick & Wann, 2004;Wolfson, 2001). One speculated reason for this might be the declining interest and affiliation with other social practices such as religion, politics, and work groups (Branscombe & Wann, 1991;Haut & Fischer, 2002;Putnam, 1995;Wann, 2006b). ...
... Therefore, group members experience positive affect from group derived self-esteem (collective self-esteem, Brown, 2004, Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992Rubin & Hewstone, 1998). Increased self-esteem from belonging to a high status group has also been found to contribute to generic well being of group members (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006;Stangor, 2004;Wann & Pierce, 2005). ...
Working within a social identity framework (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Turner, 1999), this thesis aimed to advance the understanding of the construct commitment and collective-self esteem, and non-performance related social identity threats in sport fans. Chapter three describes the adaptation and psychometric validation of the collective self-esteem scale (Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992), and then outlines the development and validation of the sport fan commitment scale. Exploratory factor (principal components analysis) and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the construct validity of the collective self-esteem scale was was upheld but was best represented by a four factor correlated model and not a four factor hierarchical model as previously thought (cf. Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992). Mixed methodology using thematic analysis and both exploratory factor (using PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the construct commitment could be reliably assessed by a 12 item, three factor correlated model, comprising affective loyalty, involvement, and BIRGing. Chapter Four utilises the new scales to examine how non-performance related threats to sport fans’ social identity. The results of this chapter suggest that fans derived a more positive social identity by being seen to belong to a better in-group (one that is high in commitment and loyalty) than when their social identity was defined by their team’s performances. Furthermore, threats to fans’ social identity led to stronger loyalty to their in-group than to their team (see studies eight and nine). The implications of the results are discussed in Chapter Five, which highlights how the new scales have advanced theory and understanding about the multidimensionality of sport fans’ commitment. Integration of the commitment scale with more general models of social identity (e.g. Cameron, 2003) in order to assess its utility with other social groups is one direction identified for future research.Finally, the finding that team performance was not as important for fans’ social identity as initially thought, could be expanded through other novel methodologies
(e.g. pre-game contexts and mixed method approaches). These directions for research might allow a larger range of fan behaviours to be examined, as well as enabling sport clubs to understand their consumers’ commitment further.
... These events can be positive (eg, hosting major sporting events) or negative (eg, Boston Marathon bombing), and impact multiple dimensions of sleep [1][2][3][4] and mental and emotional well-being. [5][6][7][8][9][10] One lens through which this effect has been studied is referred to as "public mood," 3,11,12 or the way in which the overall affective state of the general public is influenced in a positive or negative direction specifically because of their membership in a particular community. The political affiliation aspect of public mood 13 is similar to that of other social-based emotional reactions driven by social group membership 12 and in-group-out-group differentiation. ...
Objectives
Major sociopolitical events can influence the general public's affective state and other affect-related processes, such as sleep. Here, we investigated the extent that the 2020 US presidential election impacted sleep, public mood, and alcohol consumption. We also explored the relationship between affect and sleep changes during the peak period of election stress.
Participants
US-residing (n = 437) and non-US-residing (n = 106) participants were recruited online for participation in the study.
Methods
A non-representative, convenience sample responded to daily assessments of their affect, sleep, and alcohol consumption during a baseline period (October 1-13, 2020) and in the days surrounding the 2020 US Election (October 30-November 12, 2020).
Results
Analyses determined changes within and between US and non-US participants. Election Day evoked significantly reduced sleep amount and efficiency, coupled with heightened stress, negative affect, and increased alcohol use. While US participants were significantly more impacted in a number of domains, non-US participants also reported reduced sleep and greater stress compared to baseline. Across participants, disrupted sleep on Election Night correlated with changes in emotional well-being and alcohol consumption on Election Day.
Conclusion
These results suggest that major sociopolitical events can have global impacts on sleep that may interact with significant fluctuations in public mood and well-being. Further, while the largest impact is on the local population, these results suggest that the effects can extend beyond borders. These findings highlight the potential impact of future sociopolitical events on public well-being.
... Auch das Pulling-Together der Gesellschaft zu Beginn der Pandemie könnte dazu beigetragen haben, dass die kinder-und jugendpsychiatrischen Notfallsituationen zunächst nicht anstiegen. Der sogenannte Pulling-Together-Effekt besagt, dass Menschen, die gemeinsam eine herausfordernde Erfahrung durchleben, sich gegenseitig unterstützen, so die soziale Verbundenheit gestärkt wird und das Pulling-Together mit niedrigeren Suizidraten verbunden ist [16]. Während die Anzahl der Akutvorstellungen und -aufnahmen in anderen Studien [7,39] zu Beginn der COVID-19 Pandemie sogar sank, blieb die Anzahl der Akutaufnahmen an der KJP Hall i. ...
Zusammenfassung
Die COVID-19 Pandemie und die damit einhergehenden Eindämmungsmaßnahmen haben sich auf die psychische Gesundheit der Kinder und Jugendlichen ausgewirkt. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden die Akutaufnahmen der ersten beiden Corona-Jahre (2020/21) an der Abteilung für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie Hall i. T./Innsbruck retrospektiv analysiert und mit den zwei Jahren vor der COVID-19 Pandemie (2018/19) verglichen. 2020 gab es keine Veränderung in der Gesamtzahl der Akutaufnahmen im Vergleich zum Vor-Corona-Jahr 2019, im Jahr 2021 stiegen die Akutaufnahmen hingegen um 40,1 %. Das Geschlechterverhältnis von 65,4 % Mädchen zu 34,6 % Jungen in den Vor-Corona-Jahren blieb im Jahr 2020 unverändert. 2021 stieg der Mädchenanteil auf 74,4 %. In der COVID-19 Pandemie nahm die akute Suizidalität zu (+48,3 %), wohingegen die Fremdaggression abnahm (−51,0 %). Akute Intoxikationen haben im ersten Corona-Jahr zugenommen und dann 2021 wieder abgenommen. Die vorliegenden Studienergebnisse zeigen, dass der Mental-Health-Bedarf bei Kindern und Jugendlichen im Verlauf der COVID-19 Pandemie anstieg und sich dies auch in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie deutlich bemerkbar machte. Den gestiegenen Anforderungen muss nun mit entsprechenden Versorgungs- und Präventionsmaßnahmen sowie ausreichenden kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Bettenkapazitäten begegnet werden, um längerfristige psychosoziale Auswirkungen der COVID-19 Pandemie bestmöglich abzufedern.
... PTSS, specifically emotional numbing symptoms, have been associated with greater interpersonal difficulties and thwarted belongingness . It is possible that higher levels of social connectedness may help mitigate feelings of isolation associated with PTSS by reducing an individual's sense of thwarted belongingness, therefore decreasing suicidal ideation (Joiner et al., 2007). This protective factor might be especially relevant for Vietnam veterans, who have historically received low levels of homecoming support-a noted risk factor for both PTSS and suicidal ideation (Boscarino et al., 2018). ...
Veterans with combat exposure experience high rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and associated suicidal ideation. The current study examined whether social support (i.e., social connectedness and social engagement) and protective psychological factors (i.e., resilience and altruism) moderated the relation between PTSS and suicidal ideation severity in a sample of 149 U.S. military combat veterans who served in the Vietnam War or Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). Consistent with expectations, initial PTSS were positively associated with concurrent and three-year follow-up severity of suicidal ideation. Moderation analyses revealed the relation between initial PTSS and concurrent suicidal ideation severity was no longer significant at above average levels of social connectedness, social engagement, and psychological resilience. Further, the relation between initial PTSS and suicidal ideation severity three years later continued to be buffered by above average levels of social engagement. Results suggest social connectedness, psychological resilience, and social engagement help moderate initial severe thoughts of suicide linked to PTSS, while social engagement might be the strongest protective factor against severe suicidal ideation over time. Empirically-supported prevention and treatment efforts enhancing social engagement may help promote resilience to severe PTSS-related suicidal ideation among veterans from Vietnam and OEF/OIF/OND combat eras.
... While the evidence is mixed, major sporting events can reduce suicide by increasing belongingness and social integration (Encrenaz et al., 2012;Fernquist, 2000;Joiner et al., 2006). In 2012, for the first time, France won the World Cup in soccer. ...
This review summarizes recent research in four environmental areas affecting risk of deaths by suicide. Politically, the weight of the evidence suggests that laws increasing social welfare expenditures and other policies assisting persons with low incomes (e.g., minimum wage) tend to lower suicide rates. Other legal changes such as those restricting firearms and alcohol availability can also prevent suicides. The social institutions of marriage, as well as parenting, continue to serve as protective factors against suicide, although the degree of protection is often gendered. Religiousness tends to be inversely associated with suicide deaths at the individual level of analysis, but the mediators need exploration to determine what accounts for the association: social support, better mental health, better physical health, less divorce, or other covariates. Cultural definitions of the traditional male role (e.g., breadwinner culture) continue to help explain the high male to female suicide ratio. New work on the "culture of suicide" shows promise. The degree of approval of suicide is sometimes the single most important factor in predicting suicide. At the individual level of analysis, two of the strongest predictors of suicide are economic ones: unemployment and low socio-economic status. Attention is drawn to enhancing the minimum wage as a policy known to lower state suicide rates. Limitations of research include model mis-specification, conflicting results especially when ecological data are employed, and a need for more research exploring moderators of established patterns such as that between religiousness and suicide.
... 37,38 This phenomenon posits that during times of national crisis, societies pull together and individuals' sense of belongingness increases, thereby reducing risk for suicidal behavior. 39 Indeed, numerous national organizations and public health experts, including Dr Anthony Fauci, 40 adopted and promoted the "we're in this together" public health message during the pandemic, which may have increased social cohesion on a broad societal level. A small proportion of veterans (2.6%) developed newonset SI during the pandemic, with low prepandemic social support emerging as one of the strongest risk factors. ...
Importance
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised considerable concerns about increased risk for suicidal behavior among US military veterans, who already had elevated rates of suicide before the pandemic.
Objective
To examine longitudinal changes in suicidal behavior from before the COVID-19 pandemic to nearly 10 months into the pandemic and identify risk factors and COVID-related variables associated with new-onset suicide ideation (SI).
Design, Setting, and Participants
This population-based prospective cohort study used data from the first and second wave of the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, conducted from November 18, 2019, to December 19, 2020. Median dates of data collection for the prepandemic and peripandemic assessments were November 21, 2019, and November 14, 2020, nearly 10 months after the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency in the US. A total of 3078 US military veterans aged 22 to 99 years were included in the study.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Past-year SI and suicide attempts.
Results
In this cohort study of 3078 US veterans (mean [SD] age, 63.2 [14.7] years; 91.6% men; 79.3% non-Hispanic White veterans, 10.3% non-Hispanic Black veterans, and 6.0% Hispanic veterans), 233 (7.8%) reported past-year SI, and 8 (0.3%) reported suicide attempts at the peripandemic assessment. Past-year SI decreased from 10.6% prepandemic (95% CI, 9.6%-11.8%) to 7.8% peripandemic (95% CI, 6.9%-8.8%). A total of 82 veterans (2.6%) developed new-onset SI over the follow-up period. After adjusting for sociodemographic and military characteristics, the strongest risk factors and COVID-19-related variables for new-onset SI were low social support (odds ratio [OR], 2.77; 95% CI, 1.46-5.28), suicide attempt history (OR, 6.31; 95% CI, 2.71-14.67), lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder and/or depression (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.16-4.35), past-year alcohol use disorder severity (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.12), COVID-19 infection (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.41-5.01), and worsening of social relationships during the pandemic (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.16-1.88).
Conclusions and Relevance
The results of this cohort study suggest that despite grim forecasts that the COVID-19 pandemic would exacerbate suicidality among US military veterans, the rate of SI decreased at the population level nearly 10 months into the pandemic. Veterans who were infected with COVID-19 were more than twice as likely to report SI, which suggests the need for future research to examine the potential link between COVID-19 infection and suicidal behavior.
... Suicide risk is impacted by many different psychiatric, psychological, social, and relational factors (Turecki and Brent, 2016;Pompili et al., 2019), and the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable individuals may have increased suicide risk (Pompili, 2020). Studies on previous epidemics, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), have reported a short-term decrease in suicide risk, perhaps the result of a "honeymoon period" or "pulling together" phenomenon (Joiner et al., 2006). However, Yip et al. (2010) conducted a study during the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong and reported a higher incidence of suicides linked to social disengagement and mental stress and anxiety. ...
There has not been any research reported regarding both suicide ideation and suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic and government lockdown restrictions in Italy, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. We investigated whether the frequency of suicide ideation and suicide attempts differed between psychiatric patients admitted to a psychiatric unit before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and government lockdown restrictions. We also assessed psychiatric diagnosis, length of hospitalization, and types of admission. We collected data on 632 psychiatric patients admitted to the psychiatric unit of Sant'Andrea University Hospital, Rome. Patients were divided into two different groups according to their admission before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results showed that only suicide attempts, but not suicide ideation, were more frequent in psychiatric patients admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic than before. Furthermore, mood disorder diagnoses were more frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic. The types of admission and the mean length of hospitalization did not differ between the two groups. In conclusion the present study results demonstrated the importance of assessing and monitoring suicide risk in patients with psychiatric disorders and the need to implement suicide prevention programs during and after the pandemic.
... Another explanation might be the "pulling together" effect (Joiner et al., 2006). According to this theory, at times of panic in the community, (national/global) threats, and traumatic events, people tend to "pull together": that is, the feeling of cohesiveness and belongingness increases. ...
Background:
Psychiatric patients are perceived to be especially vulnerable during a pandemic as it increases stress and uncertainty. Several current publications have considered Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients to be particularly vulnerable during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and clinicians were advised to adjust treatments accordingly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the two- and six-month impacts of COVID-19 on the symptom severity of OCD patients.
Methods:
A cohort of OCD patients, actively treated with Exposure and Response Prevention [ERP] combined with pharmacological treatment, was evaluated as part of their regular psychiatric assessment twice: 113 patients were evaluated at their two-month follow-up, and 90 patients (from that cohort), were evaluated at their six-month follow up.
Results:
Eighty-four percent of the patients at the two-month follow-up and 96% of the patients at the six-month follow-up did not show OC symptom deterioration. The results were also replicated in the OCD subgroup that included contamination (washers) and patients with illness obsessions who were believed to be particularly vulnerable, considering their obsessional content.
Conclusion:
OCD patients (including those with obsessions related to contamination and health) who are under an active ERP and pharmacological treatment, did not experience exacerbated symptoms during COVID-19 at their two- and six-month follow-ups.
... [15] Important factors determining suicidal behavior are interactions between suicide risk and protective factors. Factors protecting against suicide include a sense of belonging, [16] a good cognitive level, [7] useful and good developed coping capabilities and the fact that religious faiths disapprove of suicide, [14] being married and having children, [17] powerful family bonds, and positive supportive relations between the patient and clinician. [18] Factors reported to involve a high risk of suicide include suicidal ideations, preparatory actions, stressful life events and cognitive/emotional conditions, [19] extensive suicidal behaviors and objective signs of suicidal attainment (such as specific planning, access to lethal means, and the occasion to set these into action), [20] stressful life events admission to and discharge from hospital, [8] important physical diseases, chronic painful diseases impairing functioning and external appearance, diseases rendering the individual dependent on others or affecting the ability to see and hear, and chronic diseases, hopelessness, and social isolation. ...
Aim: The purpose of the research was to develop a fuzzy logic model‑based risk assessment tool and
to determine the views of health professionals working in community mental health centers concerning
this. Introduction: Retrospective and psychologic autopsy researches have shown that a detectable
psychological disease is available in at least 90% of all completed suicides. A methodological method
was employed in developing the fuzzy logic model‑based risk assessment tool, and the qualitative
research method was used to elicit attitudes toward it. Materials and Methods: In the first stage,
the suicide risk assessment tool was developed. In the second stage, the health professionals used the
suicide risk assessment tool for 4 weeks. Feedback regarding health professionals’ opinions of the
suicide risk assessment tool was then elicited handling a semi‑structured reportage form, and data
were investigated handling descriptive analysis. Statistical Analysis: Health professionals reported
powerful aspects making the suicide risk assessment tool a functional, practical, comprehensive, and
highly applicable guideline. Results: Participants also recommended the addition to the results screen
of a chart showing the course of the suicide risk assessment and that the reliability and validity of
the tool be confirmed. Conclusion: In conclusion, health professionals expressed positive opinions
regarding the scope of the suicide risk assessment tool and its measurement of that risk. Following
confirmation of its reliability and validity, it may be useful for the fuzzy logic‑based suicide risk
assessment form to be integrated into and applied in the community health centers system
... [15] Important factors determining suicidal behavior are interactions between suicide risk and protective factors. Factors protecting against suicide include a sense of belonging, [16] a good cognitive level, [7] useful and good developed coping capabilities and the fact that religious faiths disapprove of suicide, [14] being married and having children, [17] powerful family bonds, and positive supportive relations between the patient and clinician. [18] Factors reported to involve a high risk of suicide include suicidal ideations, preparatory actions, stressful life events and cognitive/emotional conditions, [19] extensive suicidal behaviors and objective signs of suicidal attainment (such as specific planning, access to lethal means, and the occasion to set these into action), [20] stressful life events admission to and discharge from hospital, [8] important physical diseases, chronic painful diseases impairing functioning and external appearance, diseases rendering the individual dependent on others or affecting the ability to see and hear, and chronic diseases, hopelessness, and social isolation. ...
... Despite the substantial effects of lockdowns on everyday life, the pandemic's capacity to enhance a sense of supportive others may have been a key factor in the small effect of the lockdown on mental health symptoms. These potentially beneficial effects may also explain why we did not find evidence of significant increased suicide risk associated with lockdown (Joiner, Hollar, & Orden, 2006;Reger, Stanley, & Joiner, 2020). Indeed, there is evidence that social isolation and loneliness are associated with suicide risk (e.g. ...
Lockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have had profound effects on everyday life worldwide, but their effect on mental health remains unclear because available meta-analyses and reviews rely mostly on cross-sectional studies. We conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies and natural experiments investigating the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and mental health. A total of 25 studies involving 72,004 participants and 58 effect sizes were analyzed. Using a random effects model, we found that lockdowns had small effects on mental health symptoms, g = 0.17, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [0.06, 0.24], p = .001, but the effects on positive psychological functioning, g = -0.12, SE = 0.11, 95% CI [-0.33, 0.09], p = .27, were not significant. Multivariate analysis of effect sizes revealed significant and relatively small effect sizes for anxiety and depression, while those for social support, loneliness, general distress, negative affect, and suicide risk were notsignificant. Results indicated substantial heterogeneity among studies, but meta-regression analyses found no significant moderation effects for mean age, gender, continent, COVID-19 death rate, days of lockdown, publication status or study design. The psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdowns is small in magnitude and highly heterogeneous, suggesting that lockdowns do not have uniformly detrimental effects on mental health and that most people are psychologically resilient to their effects.
... Despite the substantial effects of lockdowns on everyday life, the pandemic's capacity to enhance a sense of supportive others may have been a key factor in the small effect of the lockdown on mental health symptoms. These potentially beneficial effects may also explain why we did not find evidence of significant increased suicide risk associated with lockdown (Joiner, Hollar, & Orden, 2006;Reger, Stanley, & Joiner, 2020). Indeed, there is evidence that social isolation and loneliness are associated with suicide risk (e.g. ...
Lockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have had profound effects on everyday life worldwide, but their effect on mental health remains unclear because available meta-analyses and reviews rely mostly on cross-sectional studies. We conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies and natural experiments investigating the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and mental health. A total of 25 studies involving 72,004 participants and 58 effect sizes were analyzed. Using a random effects model, we found that lockdowns had small effects on mental health symptoms, g = 0.17, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [0.06, 0.24], p = .001, but the effects on positive psychological functioning, g = -0.12, SE = 0.11, 95% CI [-0.33, 0.09], p = .27, were not significant. Multivariate analysis of effect sizes revealed significant and relatively small effect sizes for anxiety and depression, while those for social support, loneliness, general distress, negative affect, and suicide risk were not significant. Results indicated substantial heterogeneity among studies, but meta-regression analyses found no significant moderation effects for mean age, gender, continent, COVID-19 death rate, days of lockdown, publication status or study design. The psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdowns is small in magnitude and highly heterogeneous, suggesting that lockdowns do not have uniformly detrimental effects on mental health and that most people are psychologically resilient to their effects.
... In the wake of crisis and disaster, people may rally together, thus enhancing levels of belonging. ‗Pulling together' has been posited to be a contributor to reduced rates of suicide following national crises (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006), including the assassination of President Kennedy, the Challenger disaster, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001(Biller, 1977Claassen et al., 2018;Joiner et al., 2006). Though it should also be noted, crises that cause geographic displacement or social distancing (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics) may be associated with ‗pulling apart' effects in communities and, in turn, contribute to increases in mental health problems and suicide (Yip, et al, 2010). ...
Older adults experience increased risk for suicide compared to the general population, and the circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may potentiate this risk. We discuss how current COVID-19 pandemic-related policies are likely to harm older adults disproportionately. COVID-19 pandemic social distancing policies and ethical guidelines for COVID-19 treatment may exacerbate experiences of social isolation, perceived expendability, and exposure to suffering, which are related to the 3 main components of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (i.e., thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness to society, and capability for suicide). The COVID-19 pandemic poses a drain on services and has drawn ethical debates about policies around treating younger adults first. These experiences may lead older adults to have reduced access to needed medical and psychiatric services and may convey damaging messages of expendability. Furthermore, the potential prolonged stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may affect neurological, immunological, and health functioning-exacerbating suicide risk. Potential venues to increase treatment options and decrease social isolation are discussed. We acknowledge optimistic effects as well, such as "pulling together" as a society and the many valuable ways older adults may contribute during this crisis.
... Historically, suicide rates decrease during the early phase-or "honeymoon" period-of a crisis and during periods of high community cohesion. 25 Following the honeymoon period, however, based on historical trends, rates will likely increase. Established disaster recovery frameworks can be applied to help predict where we find ourselves as the response to and recovery from this pandemic continues, indefinitely. ...
... It is not possible, at this stage, to completely eliminate the possibility that NHL penalties might actually "stimulate" violent crime at the national level, through some kind of copycat or emulation effect, for instance (Moser, 2004;Adubato, 2011;Card & Dahl, 2011;Kirby, Francis, & O'Flaherty, 2014). Although this may sound far-fetched at first glance, earlier studies did reveal some correlation between the success of sports teams and reductions in suicide (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006), and even homicide rates (Fernquist, 2000). In fact, some studies examined the relationship between homicide rates and the introduction of television in certain countries and found a consistently positive correlation between the two (Centerwall, 1989), revealing that not only televised sport-but television more generally-has the potential to engender violence in society (Centerwall, 1992). ...
Over the 1962 to 2016 period, the Canadian violent crime rate has remained strongly correlated with National Hockey League (NHL) penalties. The Canadian property crime rate was similarly correlated with stolen base attempts in the Major League Baseball (MLB). Of course, correlation does not imply causation or prove association. It is simply presented here as an observation. Curious readers might be tempted to conduct additional research and ask questions in order to enhance the conversation, transition away from a state of confusion, clarify the situation, prevent false attribution, and possibly solve a problem that economists call identification.
... Importantly, as current literature on this topic relies mainly on cross-sectional studies (Furrer & Skinner, 2003;Marraccini & Brier, 2017;Oldfield et al., 2016;Shochet et al., 2008;Suldo et al., 2008), the current investigation further extends our understanding that the role of school connectedness as a protective factor endures over time. In line with Goodenow's (1993b) definition of school connectedness as feelings of acceptance, respect, inclusion, and support by others in their academic environment via school staff, teachers, and peers, future reviews building on previous work (Buchman-Schmitt et al., 2014;Joiner et al., 2006) and empirical research may want to explore school connectedness as a protective factor against suicide ideations and attempts and may want to eventually evaluate factors that continue to make an impact over time. ...
Suicidality is a significant public health issue for adolescents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Leading causes of death reports, national and regional, 1999–2015, 2015). Cultural factors such as gender, race, and poverty may place some adolescents at an increased risk for suicidality. The school context has been offered as a setting that may serve as an effective prevention and intervention point for buffering suicidality. Given that adolescents spend a significant amount of time at school, school connectedness, or the sense of belonging to a school community, may be a significant and positive protective factor against social isolation. Undergirded by Joiner’s (Why people die by suicide, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 2005; The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior: current empirical status, 2009) interpersonal theory of suicide, the current investigation explores the relation between suicidality (i.e., suicide ideations and attempts) and school connectedness. Using a large longitudinal data set (N = 2335), results of two logistic growth models found that school connectedness serves as a strong protective factor for suicidality among Black American adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods. Results showed that school connectedness reduced the probability of suicide ideations and attempts over time and for both females and males. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed. © 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
... Though these theoretical frameworks differ in emphasis, the protective mechanisms they propose are not mutually exclusive. They also are highly relevant to emerging psychological theories (in particular, the interpersonal theory of suicide; see Van Orden et al. 2010) suggesting that individuals who feel thwarted in their yearning to belong are at high risk for suicide (Baumeister and Leary 1995;Joiner et al. 2006;Van Orden et al. 2008). ...
The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, enacted in 2015, aimed to increase access to treatment for U.S. military veterans; however, poor attendance at aftercare and high rates of treatment refusal suggest that, even when treatment is accessible, it may not be acceptable. Often, it is difficult to acknowledge the need for help and to commit to treatment. The stigma of mental illness diminishes the self-respect of individuals with mental health problems and may be especially acute for veterans because of the centrality of resilience in military culture. This stigma also can jeopardize current employment or prospects for future employment. This paper proposes a partial answer to the question, “What more might be done to engage and effectively treat veterans who are at high risk of suicide?” The meaning of spiritual and/or religious expression in human development, well-being, and social functioning has long been of great interest to theorists in disciplines as diverse as sociology, theology, and psychology. Some empirical studies have further suggested that certain religious and/or spiritual beliefs, practices, and/or affiliations may be protective against suicide. This paper (a) summarizes these perspectives, (b) considers how clinical inquiry into the role of religion and/or spirituality in the lives of veterans at high risk of suicide fits into the suicide prevention program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and (c) offers specific recommendations to practitioners.
... In contrast, identifying with and feeling integrated into the family unit while receiving support for individual interests could be protective factors against suicidal ideation. Recent studies have highlighted the benefits of social cohesion as a buffer against suicide (Joiner, Hollar, & Van Orden, 2006;Salib, 2003), yet previous research examining the role of the family environment as a similar buffer against suicide has been limited to suicidal ideation in adolescents ( Diamond et al., 2002;Diamond et al., 2010). Additional research is needed to more clearly understand this interaction in child, adolescent, and adult relationships. ...
Researchers have primarily examined suicide as an individual phenomenon, yet family scientists who view suicide as a family experience use multiple perspectives for examining the role of families after suicidal ideation or a nonfatal attempt. This article explores how prominent suicide theories can be used to conceptualize a family's role in suicide experiences. Three theories utilized by family scientists—human ecological theory, family systems theory, and social exchange theory—are applied to provide new conceptualizations of family reactions to suicidal behavior. Finally, potential contributions of family scientists to the field of suicidology are examined.
... Although sport does not answer questions about life, it can foster positive social cohesion and connections with others (Wann, 2006). For example, Joiner, Hollar, and Van Orden (2006) argue that the need to belong to a community is so powerful that when perceived membership in valued groups satisfies the need to belong, it can potentially act as a buffer against suicide. They found that local suicide rates correlated with national rankings of local college football teams, and that there were fewer suicides on February 22 nd 1980 compared to the previous and following year when the US defeated the USSR in an international ice hockey match. ...
Wann and Polk (2007) found a positive relationship between identification with a local sport team and perceptions of the trustworthiness of others. Furthermore, Wann et al. (in press) also demonstrated that when fans were asked to evaluate the trustworthiness of fellow fans and rival fans that fellow fans were perceived to be more trustworthy than rival fans. The current pair of studies was designed to replicate Wann and Polk (2007) and Wann et al. (in press) in a different culture and with different target sports. To further investigate cultural variation in sports fans, two popular UK sports (rugby and football) with their own cultures were also examined for differences in trustworthiness. As expected, both study 1 and 2 confirmed the findings demonstrated by Wann and Polk (2007) and Wann et al. (in press). In addition, study 2 confirmed differences in perceived trust of others where football fans perceived less trust in rival fans relative to rugby fans.
Background:
Major sporting events are postulated to reduce suicide rates by increased social connectedness, by identifying with winning teams, or, conversely, to increase suicide rates by the 'broken promise effect'.
Methods:
In our observational epidemiological study, we investigated changes in suicide rates between 1970 and 2017 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the European and World Soccer Championships in general, and on days that the home team played, won or lost.
Results:
Combining all three studied nations no statistically significant change in the incidence of daily suicides during soccer championships compared to a control period was noted (38.29 ± 9.02 vs. 37.33 ± 10.58; incidence risk ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.05, P = 0.05). Essentially, no differences in the expected directions were found, and none remained statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons in subgroups for country, age and gender in all three studied countries. Compared to a control period, neither a significant difference in the respective national suicide rate was found after Germany's four championship victories nor after Austria's emotional only win over Germany.
Conclusion:
Our results do not support the assumption of increased social connectedness and, thus, lowered suicide risk during major sporting events or changes in suicide risk depending on the outcome of important games as predicted by the broken promise effect or changes in self-efficacy by identification with winning teams.
The COVID-19 pandemic and response, which included physical distancing and stay-at-home orders, disrupted the daily lives of children and adolescents, isolating them from their peers, school, and other meaningful contacts. The present study aims to add to the accumulating evidence on the pandemic’s impact on child and adolescent suicidal behavior. Data were extracted from Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel’s pediatric emergency room (ER) admissions for psychiatric consultation for suicidal-risk assessment between 1 January 2020, and 16 April 2022. We applied time-lagged cross-correlation analysis and a Granger causality test to assess the temporal relationships between COVID-19 infection waves and patterns of suicide-related ER admissions. The results revealed a significant lagged correlation between national COVID-19 infection rates and ER admission rates. The highest correlation was above 0.4 and was found with a lag of 80 to 100 days from infection rate to ER admission rate. The findings show that the effects of public crises change over time and may be lagged. This may have important implications for mental health services’ readiness to serve growing numbers of children and adolescents at risk for suicide.
Brought dead cases are of concern not only clinically with regards to medical certification of cause of death, but also medico legally.
Generally, brought dead cases are considered as medico legal, which in fact need not be always. Need has arisen to study the
provisions and practice of handling brought dead cases with respect to whether medico legal post-mortem is required for all such
cases or not. A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out by examining case files, police papers and post�mortem reports of brought declared dead cases (n=62) received at a tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad with the objective being to
observe the epidemiology of brought dead cases and to review the provisions and practice of handling brought dead cases, as well as,
medico legal post-mortem examination (Under S. 174 Cr.P.C.) for such cases. Majority cases belonged to more than 50 years of age
with a history of previous/current major illness. Hence, ascertaining the cause of death became quite obvious after excluding common
unnatural causes. Only 23.72% cases were subjected to autopsy. In some cases police denied permission for performing the autopsy. A
protocol to handle brought dead cases is suggested which might require some reforms in relevant law(s) and state resolutions. The
centers with high load of autopsies of brought dead cases from natural manner should carry out such a study to decide whether really
medico legal autopsy is required in such cases or not and to request the state authorities to amend the provisions accordingly
Background: During the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), mandatory quarantines increased social isolation and anxiety, with inevitable consequences on mental health and health seeking behavior. We wished to estimate those trends.
Methods: We examined all psychiatric visits to the emergency department (ED) during March, April 2020, compared to identical months in 2018, 2019. We evaluated both number and nature of referrals.
Results: Throughout the years, psychiatric referrals comprised about 5% of the total number of ED visits. In March-April 2020, 30% decreases were observed in overall ED visits and in psychiatric referrals in the ED. Compared to 2018–2019, in 2020, the proportions of these diagnoses were higher: anxiety disorders (14.5 vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001), personality disorders (6.7 vs. 3.2%, p = 0.001), psychosis (9.5 vs. 6.7%, p = 0.049), post-traumatic stress disorder (3.2 vs. 1.5%, p = 0.023). Compared to 2018–2019, in 2020, proportions were lower for adjustment disorder (5.8 vs. 8.9%, p = 0.036) and for consultation regarding observation (11.7 vs. 31.6%, p < 0.001). Differences were not observed between 2018-2019 and 2020 in the proportions of other diagnoses including suicide and self-harm disorders. Referrals concerning suicide and self-harm in a rural hospital and community clinic were 30% lower in the COVID-19 lockdown than in the same months in 2018, 2019.
Conclusion: Psychiatric ED visits decreased by the same proportion as overall visits to the ED, apparently driven by fears of COVID-19. Referrals relating suicidality and self-harm shown nominal decrease, but their proportioned share remained constant. Increased anxiety and delayed care may eventually lead to increased mental health needs.
Background: While belongingness has frequently been investigated in the general population as an antidote to experiencing depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal behavior, it has rarely been evaluated as a protective factor among individuals bereaved by suicide. Aims: We examined whether perceived belongingness could moderate the differences between suicide-bereaved, suicide-exposed, and nonexposed respondents regarding depression, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts. Method: We conducted an online survey of the adult Israeli population ( N = 806), with 203 suicide-bereaved, 266 suicide-exposed, and 377 nonexposed respondents. Participants completed several questionnaires tapping depression and suicidality as well as perceived belongingness levels. Results: Individuals bereaved by suicide reported the highest levels of depression, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts in comparison with suicide-exposed and nonexposed individuals. However, belongingness was found to moderate these distinctions concerning suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Limitations: Belongingness was assessed by only a single question, and the online survey suffered from a relatively high nonresponse rate. Conclusion: Our results suggest that belongingness may act as a potent antidote to the adverse mental health consequences among individuals bereaved by suicide. Clinicians should accord adequate attention to fostering social connectedness among their clients bereaved by suicide.
Employee mental health, and in particular, suicide risks, are things that managers often do not feel comfortable in addressing, leading to lack of knowledge, awareness, and support within an organization. The purpose of this research was to investigate the competencies required by managers to enable them to effectively address suicide risks arising with employees. Suicide‐related ideations are thought to be characterized by experiences of burdensomeness and thwarted connectedness. Drawing on clinical, managerial, and adaptive performance competencies, we examined competencies related to creating meaningfulness (as a counter to burdensomeness) and addressing employee's need for relatedness (as a counter to thwarted connectedness) in terms of how managers assist employees presenting with suicide‐related ideations in the workplace. To investigate this and develop a competency framework, we conducted qualitative interviews with 18 managers, drawing on existing interview protocols of critical incidents and behavioral event interviews for the elicitation of competencies. Competencies in adaptive performance (and particularly crisis management) emerged as important for facilitating managers’ interactions with employees who may present with suicidality. This research provides a first step in developing resources to equip managers with the necessary competencies that are needed to deal with employees experiencing suicide‐related ideations (i.e. perceived burdensomeness and thwarted connectedness). The framework is also useful as an initial step to support human resource development (HRD) professionals develop interventions such as training and/or mentoring programs for managers to address this very important issue.
The purpose of this article is to offer a collocation of COVID-19 alongside two adjacent calamities that will likely increase during and after public health responses to the pandemic: suicide and femicide. Both of these forms of violence are patterned and predictable, both of them will manifest in divergent and distinct ways during the chaos of COVID-19, and both are highly gendered. In this article, we characterize the virus, theoretically align suicide and femicide as preventable forms of violence due to the circumstances of the pandemic, and suggest a way forward. We assert that suicide rates will increase for women and girls to unprecedented levels as a direct result of pandemic public health measures and it is also our contention that the gendered impact of COVID-19 will lead to an upsurge in another harm induced by the global health order to stay at home: femicide. In a landscape of competitive catastrophe, we call attention to two social facts that kill: suicide and femicide, and we urge global leaders to attend to prevention now, because for many women and girls, even though we have found a vaccine, it may be too late.
The interpersonal theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005) may help explain high suicide rates among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It suggests that suicidal ideation results from believing that one is a burden on others (i.e., perceived burdensomeness) and does not belong among family, friends, or other social groups (i.e., thwarted belongingness). Evidence‐based PTSD treatments, including cognitive processing therapy (CPT), decrease suicidal ideation, potentially through changes in these two theory constructs. The current study examined whether (a) changes in PTSD severity and suicidal ideation and (b) changes in negative cognitions about self and suicidal ideation were indirectly associated through changes in perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness across PTSD treatment. Participants (N = 107) were veterans in a residential treatment program who were diagnosed with full or subthreshold PTSD and received CPT. Changes in PTSD symptom severity and negative cognitions about self predicted changes in suicidal ideation, B = 0.18, p < .001 and B = 0.50, p < .001, respectively. Changes in PTSD symptom severity and negative cognitions about self were indirectly associated with suicidal ideation through changes in perceived burdensomeness, B = 0.16, 95% CI [0.07, 0.25]; B = 0.27, 95% CI [0.05, 0.50], but not thwarted belongingness, B = −0.002; 95% CI [−0.06, 0.06]; B = 0.06, 95% CI [−0.12, 0.21] in separate models. These findings suggest that residential CPT may be uniquely equipped to decrease suicidality by restructuring negative beliefs, including perceptions of being a burden on others, and/or by alleviating the objective burden of PTSD.
Background: While focusing on the management and care of COVID-19 patients, the mental health of these patients and their relatives is being overlooked. The aim of the current study was to measure anxiety and depression, and to assess their association with socio-demographic and pandemic-related stress factors in COVID-19 patients and their relatives during the initial stage of hospitalization. Methods: We assessed isolated hospitalized patients (N = 90) and their relatives (adults and children, N = 125) by phone, 25–72 h following patients' admission. The quantitative measures included the Anxiety and Depression modules of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and pandemic-related stress factors. Qualitative measures included questions exploring worries, sadness, and coping modes. Results: Both patients and relatives suffer from high levels of anxiety and related pandemic worries, with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Compared to adult relatives, child relatives reported significantly lower anxiety. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed an increased risk for anxiety among females and a decreased risk among ultra-orthodox participants. While increased anxiety among patients was associated with feelings of isolation, increased anxiety among relatives was associated with a feeling of not being protected by the hospital. Conclusions: Patients and relatives experience similar high anxiety levels which are more robust in women and lower in ultra-orthodox participants. Our findings indicate that anxiety symptoms of both patients and adult relatives should be addressed.
Objective:
This study examined the impact of social-cognitive constructs associated with increased suicide risk (i.e., perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness) on relationship formation during real-time interactions of older adolescents with strangers in a dyadic context.
Method:
Two hundred and seventy-four older adolescents (61.9% female, M age = 18.96 years) were paired with same-gender strangers and completed a laboratory-based interaction task. Both target participants and their partners answered questions about their interaction at three time points during the 45-min session. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized models.
Results:
Perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness predicted interpersonal consequences during the interaction. In the first model, thwarted belongingness led targets to inaccurately perceive their partners' assessments of the interaction. This misperception negatively impacted the participants' own desires for friendship. In the second model, thwarted belongingness predicted decreases in targets' desire to continue the conversation, whereas perceived burdensomeness predicted higher levels of desire to continue the conversation. For females, thwarted belongingness in particular was related to new relationship formation in these models. Overall, those who desired to continue talking were more likely to like their partner at the end of the conversation.
Conclusions:
Results add to our understanding of how perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness contribute to increased social alienation, which could serve to increase suicide risk.
Modern warfare within a civilian setting may expose combatants to severe moral challenges. Whereas most of these challenges are handled effectively, some potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) may have deleterious psychological, spiritual, and interpersonal effects among them, which may increase the risk for suicide ideation and behaviors (SIB). In this study, we aimed to examine the protective role of self-forgiveness and perceived social support on the relationship between exposure to PMIEs and SIB among combat veterans. A sample of 191 Israeli combat veterans completed validated self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional design study, tapping moral injury, SIB, perceived social support, and self-forgiveness. Veterans with a history of SIB revealed higher levels of exposure to PMIEs and lower levels of self-forgiveness and perceived social support than veterans with no SIB history. Moreover, beyond the contributions of the PMIE dimensions, significant contributions of self-forgiveness and perceived social support to current suicide ideation (SI) were found. Importantly, the moderating model indicated that higher social support moderated the link between PMIEs and current SI. Based on the current findings, it can be suggested that self-forgiveness and perceived social support are important contributors to lower SI levels among veterans with PMIEs. It can be further suggested that interpersonal support may help veterans develop a sense of belongingness and bonding, which is a plausible basis for diminishing the risk of SI following PMIE exposure.
Suicide risk is elevated among college-aged students and individuals exposed to cumulative interpersonal trauma. This study used the interpersonal theory of suicide as a framework to test the relation between cumulative interpersonal trauma and suicide ideation through the indirect effects of cumulative interpersonal trauma via depression, thwarted belongingness (TB), and perceived burdensomeness (PB), in serial. Participants were 261 college students who endorsed prior trauma and completed cross-sectional study measures online. An atemporal serial mediation model indicated that cumulative interpersonal trauma significantly and indirectly related to suicide ideation through depressive symptoms, TB, and PB. The relation between cumulative interpersonal trauma and suicide ideation was explained by greater depressive symptoms, TB, and PB, in serial. Therefore, depressive symptoms, TB, and PB may be important modifiable clinical targets for college students with a history of cumulative interpersonal trauma.
Increases in suicide rates for U.S. women Service Members and Veterans have emerged as a public health issue of great concern. Women Veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to die by suicide, and rates of suicide for women Veterans are rising faster than rates for male Veterans. Given higher rates of suicide in combat-exposed males and increased rates of suicide associated with military deployment for women, the expansion of women into direct combat roles may further escalate their rates of suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide provides a framework for the examination of women Veterans’ risk factors and how implementation of policy provisions can more effectively ameliorate suicide risk. Recent suicide prevention policy initiatives that target women Veterans’ unique needs are important steps; however, suicide prevention efforts should address specific risk factors contributing to thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and the acquired capability for suicide in Veteran women.
Issues related to professional sport transcend far beyond the world of sport itself. Previous research on the topic of sport and suicide has found that a significant association exists between the success of professional sport teams and the well-being of people in general. Data on suicide rates in United States’ metropolitan areas were analyzed from 2006 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2010 to measure the association between suicide rates and the success of professional sport teams in these same metropolitan areas. Results from statistical analyses reveal that the successes of professional sport teams are significantly related to lower suicide rates, while the only game in town hypothesis was not supported.
LGBTQ individuals may be at risk for suicidal behavior due to perceived stigma and psychopathology. However, protective factors, such as community connectedness, may reduce risk. We examined depression and anxiety as mediators of the linkage between perceived stigma and suicidal behavior, and the moderating role of LGBTQ community connectedness. Among our sample of LGBTQ persons (N = 496), psychopathology mediated the association between perceived stigma and suicidal behavior. Connectedness moderated the relation between perceived stigma and depression, and between perceived stigma and suicidal behavior in the anxiety model. Therapeutically addressing stigma and promoting LGBTQ community connectedness may reduce risk for suicidal behavior.
The risk factor of interpersonal dysfunction has been a mainstay of theories and research on psychopathology and suicide for over a century and persists in modern theories such as the interpersonal theory of suicide. Additional interpersonal variables, including loneliness, social isolation, and conflict with others, are also contributors to suicide risk. Conversely, previous research indicates that satisfaction of interpersonal needs, including feelings of belongingness, engagement in caring, and reciprocal relationships, is associated with health benefits. Numerous well-established therapies, including interpersonal therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, address interpersonal functioning via role playing, social skills training, group sessions, and encouraging adaptive social experiences. Additional strategies, including enhancement of social communication, autonomy, and self-esteem, and encouraging participation in religious or community activities, may improve relationship quality. Even psychospiritual endeavors, such as forgiveness, can help mend interpersonal wounds, thereby reducing suicide risk. In this chapter, we review prominent interpersonally oriented theories of suicide and distinguish between interpersonal deficits as a risk factor and interpersonal strengths as a protective factor. We offer suggestions for clinical application, such as increasing perceptions of support, connectedness, and the quality of attachments, and suggest avenues for future clinical research, including the application of self-compassion and self-determination as therapeutic strategies to improve social functioning and, ultimately, to reduce suicide risk.
আত্মহত্যা একটি জটিল দৃশ্যমান বিষয় যা দৃষ্টি আকর্ষণ করেছে দার্শনিক, সমাজবিজ্ঞানী, মনোবিজ্ঞানী, ধর্মতত্ত্ববিদ, অর্থনীতিবিদ এবং চিকিৎসকদের। এটি কোন স্বাভাবিক ঘটনা নয়, বরং মৃত্যুকে স্বেচ্ছায় এবং স্বতঃপ্রণোদিতভাবে গ্রহণ করার প্রক্রিয়া বিশেষ। আপাত দৃষ্টিতে আত্মহত্যা ব্যক্তিকেন্দ্রীক আচরণ মনে হলেও প্রকৃত প্রস্তাবে এটি একটি বহুমাত্রিক বৈকল্য; যা শারীরিক, মানসিক, সামাজিক, ধর্মীয়, আর্থিক এবং পারিপার্শ্বিক জটিল মিথস্ত্রিয়ার ফল। আত্মহত্যা সংঘটনে সামাজিক সংহতি এবং সংহতিহীনতা দু’টিই ভিন্ন ভিন্ন অবস্থান থেকে কাজ করে থাকে। আত্মহত্যার পেছনে রয়েছে মানুষের জীবন প্রবৃত্তি এবং মরণ প্রবৃত্তি। মনোচিকিৎসকগণ আত্মহত্যাকে মানসিক অবসাদজনিত গুরুতর উপসর্গ হিসেবে চিহ্নিত করে থাকেন। আবার আর্থ-সামাজিক প্রেক্ষাপটে বেকারত্ব, দারিদ্র্য, গৃহহীনতা, বৈষম্য, ধর্ষণ, যৌতুক, দাম্পত্য কলহ, ইভটিজিং, মাদকসেবন ইত্যাদি উপাদানগুলো আত্মহত্যাকে উৎসাহিত করে থাকে। পৃথিবীর বিভিন্ন ধর্ম আত্মহত্যাকে যেমন গুরুতর পাপ হিসেবে বিবেচনা করে, তেমনি অনেক রাষ্ট্রই এটিকে অপরাধমূলক কাজ হিসেবে ঘোষণা করেছে। সাম্প্রতিককালে বাংলাদেশে আত্মহত্যার ঘটনা বেশ বেড়ে গেছে এবং তা পত্র-পত্রিকাসহ বিভিন্ন প্রচারমাধ্যমে বেশ আলোচিত হচ্ছে। এ আলোচনা অনেক ক্ষেত্রেই যতটা না ঘটনার সামগ্রিক বিশ্লেষণ তার চেয়ে বেশি বিচার বিচ্ছিন্ন ঘটনাটির সরলীকরণ বা সহজীকরণ ভাবনায়। আর তাই সামাজিক প্রপঞ্চ হিসেবে আত্মহত্যা একটি সমন্বিত এবং সামগ্রিক বিশ্লেষণের দাবী রাখে।
Previous studies have found that religion and spirituality (R/S) are related to less suicidal ideation (SI), fewer suicide attempts and fewer suicide deaths and that an absence of social support is associated with SI, suicide attempts, and suicide death. 745 Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant congregants completed an online survey measuring their sense of community (SOC) in their faith community, overall belonging and SI. SOC was weakly related to SI. Congregants attending more than one service per week reported more SI and more importance to feel a SOC. Jewish and Hispanic congregants reported more SI. Unmarried congregants reported lower overall belonging, more SOC and more SI, suggesting that people apportion their sense of connectedness differently. Future studies might examine the relationship of SOC to suicide attempts and deaths and how a faith community might confer SOC differently from a non-religious/non-spiritual community.
Background:
A sense of disconnection for people who are suicidal seems to be a key construct of previous literature. Therapists' ways of encountering and understanding people who are suicidal have not been previously researched in depth using qualitative methodologies.
Aims:
The current study aims to develop a theoretical framework for the role played by connectedness in relation to suicide based on the perspectives of psychotherapists working in the field of suicide intervention.
Method:
Psychotherapists (N = 12) from a suicide intervention service in Ireland were interviewed in relation to connectedness and suicide. The interviews were analysed using Constructivist Grounded Theory. A tentative theoretical model for connectedness in relation to suicide was developed.
Results:
Therapists view self-disconnect as at the core of suicidality and note that toxic relationships also play a critical role. Therapeutic connection can present as a life-saving paradox for people who are suicidal. Risk of death and therapeutic endeavour may present as challenging dynamics for working with people who are suicidal. Some discussion points include the worth of self-compassion development for people who are suicidal, the rephrasing of "psychotherapy" when trying to save someone's life and the emphasis on relationship skills for all healthcare professionals who encounter people who are suicidal. Clinical or methodological significance of this article: This article is one of the first in which therapists are interviewed about their understandings of suicide and the processes of suicide in the therapeutic space. It offers novel insights about how people who are suicidal present in therapy and what may be contributing to this presentation. The research also gives insights on the struggles for therapists working with people who are suicidal and who may be ambiguous about the prospect of therapy and connecting. The study also offers important direction for future studies in relation to what requires further discussion and exploration regarding engaging in therapy with people who are suicidal. In addition, the current study can offer previously unexplored insights regarding suicide and therapy that may have the potential to assist in future intervention for people who are risk of killing themselves.
Studies on attempted suicide in transgender populations, particularly those in resource-limited settings, are scarce. We examined the relationships between stigma, trauma, and suicide attempts in a national sample of transgender women from the Dominican Republic. Bivariate analysis examined differences between suicide attempters and nonattempters (n = 298). Multivariate analysis reported odds ratios with attempted suicide as the outcome (n = 260). About a quarter of respondents (23.9%) experienced sexual abuse, 12.3% were tortured, and 20.3% experienced a murder attempt. More than a quarter reported using illegal drugs. Independent sample t tests found significant differences between suicide attempters and nonattempters. Attempters were more likely to have experienced sexual abuse, psychological abuse, torture, and a murder attempt (p < .001 for all). Respondents who experienced psychological abuse had over three times higher odds of attempting suicide, compared to respondents who had not (OR = 3.203, p < .01). Experience with torture and attempted murder were associated with higher odds of attempting suicide (OR = 2.967, p < .05 and OR = 2.894, p < .05, respectively). Although some nations have implemented antidiscrimination policies protecting transgender citizens, these policies are often not consistently enforced. Eliminating stigmatizing policies may reduce rates of negative health outcomes and subsequently improving population health.
Social influences on suicidal behaviors may be important but are less frequently studied than the influences of mental illness, physical illness, and demographic variables. Major international sporting events may have an impact on suicidal behaviors at the national and local level, an effect possibly mediated by gender and age. We examined the association of hospital-treated deliberate self-poisoning episodes (by gender and by age) in Tehran: before, during, and after the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, in which the Iranian national team participated and was eliminated after the pool games. We used a time series analysis within an autoregressive integrated moving average model and found a significant increase in hospital-treated deliberate self-poisoning during the 4-week period of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil in females but a nonsignificant increase in males. A significant increase was also seen in the youngest age group (12-20 years), but not in the two older age groups. If the effects of nonsuccess at major international sporting events could be shown to have a potential harmful effect on aggregate local or national rates of suicidal behaviors, the possibility of preventative interventions and preemptive additional service provision could be planned in advance of these events.
Samobójstwa stanowią postępujący problem społeczny o wymiarze globalnym. Co 40 sekund na świecie ktoś odbiera sobie życie. Światowa Organizacja Zdrowia (WHO) raportuje, że każdego roku w wyniku samobójstwa ginie więcej ludzi niż łącznie z powodu konfliktów, działań wojennych i katastrof żywiołowych.Walka ze zjawiskiem jest trudnym wyzwaniem wymagającym rzetelnej wiedzy i jasnych standardów postępowania.
Książka „Samobójstwo” w sposób przystępny przedstawia problematykę zachowań samobójczych osób dorosłych wraz z praktycznymi implikacjami. Autorzy wnikliwie analizują zjawisko, zwracając uwagę na wyzwania, z jakimi na co dzień mierzy się personel medyczny, oraz prezentując zalecane sposoby interwencji terapeutycznych.
Zjawisko samobójstwa zostało przedstawione w ujęciu neurobiologicznym, ogólnomedycznym, psychologicznym i społecznym. Lektura monografii pozwoli Czytelnikom na poznanie i lepsze zrozumienie zachowań autodestrukcyjnych, dostarczając wiedzy na temat historii, systematyki, epidemiologii, teorii oraz praktyki. Autorzy nie pominęli aspektów odnoszących się do problemów społecznych, takich jak eutanazja, przestępstwa na tle seksualnym czy terroryzm. Przybliżyli też rolę chorób somatycznych oraz wpływ kultury masowej na zachowania samobójcze, a także aspekty prawne postępowania z osobami w kryzysie suicydalnym.
Monografia jest cennym źródłem wiedzy dla profesjonalistów pracujących w różnych obszarach ochrony zdrowia, ale też wartościową lekturą dla studentów i wszystkich osób zainteresowanych zagadnieniem samobójstw.
This chapter discusses the current status, emerging developments, and proposed future directions of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behaviour (IPT; Joiner, 2005; Van Orden, et al., 2010). Broadly described, the IPT proposes that individuals who die by suicide must have both the desire to die and the ability to act on that desire. More specifically, the model holds that the desire for death by suicide results from the interaction of two perceived psychological states: namely, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness as well as hopelessness about improvement of these states. Further, the model holds that people will only act on suicidal desire if they have acquired the capability to do so. Thus, it is the interaction of all three factors that produces the greatest risk of death by suicide. This model has been well supported in adult and military populations. It is widely utilized and well regarded, particularly for its recognition of the necessity of capability to enact lethal self-harm, a key factor in improving psychology's understanding of what allows suicidal ideation to become suicidal behaviour. Potential refinements to the theory based on future research including a possible titration model of the theory's components, the role of hopelessness regarding thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, and the development of capability are discussed. Furthermore, important future endeavours that can be informed by IPT research are identified including improved suicide risk assessment, intervention research, and a newly described acute mental disturbance that may help improve identification of those at imminent risk for suicide.
The term “suicide” is defined in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary as “the act of killing oneself voluntarily and intentionally” (2004, p. 1249). Various data have been reported regarding the prevalence of suicide among the general population. A 2007 United States report on suicide highlights incidence and prevalence rates, as well as its impact on society at large (McIntosh, 2010). Suicide is considered the eleventh leading cause of death for people in the United States. In 2007, 34,598 people committed suicide (approximately 1 death every 15.2 min). Males were 3.6 times more likely than females to take their own lives. Overall, the use of firearms was the most common method of suicide (N = 17,352). Additionally, the risk for suicide has also been analyzed among various subpopulations. According to research, suicide rates among adolescent youth, the elderly, and military members are higher than those in the general population (Bryan, Cukrowicz, West, & Morrow, 2010; Joiner, 2010; Kang & Bullman, 2008; McIntosh, 2002).
Although multiple studies have found that African Americans commonly experience racial discrimination, available studies have yet to examine how perceived racism might be related to suicide vulnerability in African American youth. The purpose of this study was to examine a framework for how perceived racial discrimination contributes to symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as subsequent suicide ideation and morbid ideation. Data were obtained from 722 African American youth at mean age 10.56 years (SD = 0.64); a second wave of data was obtained 2 years later. Results revealed both a direct effect and mediated effects of perceived racism on later suicide and morbid ideation. For boys and girls, the effect of perceived racism was mediated by symptoms of depression. However, the association was mediated by anxiety for girls, but not for boys in the current sample. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.
La teoria interpersonale-psicologica del suicidio (IPTS, interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide in Joiner, 2005) è un quadro teorico abbastanza recente, che costituisce un riferimento per meglio comprendere le complesse interazioni di fattori che contribuiscono al rischio di suicidio (Van Orden et al., 2010; Selby et al., 2010a). Questo approccio delinea una teoria del comportamento suicidario che si concentra su tre variabili necessarie e congiuntamente sufficienti che devono essere presenti in un individuo perché metta in atto un tentativo di suicidio letale: appartenenza contrastata, onerosità percepita e capacità acquisita di effettuare un atto di letale autolesionismo. Questi tre domini possono essere utilizzati per determinare non solo chi desidera morire per suicidio, ma anche chi sarebbe maggiormente in grado di effettuare un comportamento suicidario letale.
Il tema del suicidio tra militari e forze dell’ordine oscilla, in genere, tra l’estremo riserbo da parte degli organi ufficiali competenti e le „grida di allarme“ da parte della stampa quando qualche appartenente a tali settori dello Stato compie un suicidio. Stando a quanto dichiarato dall’allora Ministro della Difesa in un’interrogazione parlamentare del settembre 2011, ad esempio, si sono verificati, tra l’1 gennaio 2000 e il 30 giugno 2011 almeno 88 casi di suicidio nelle Forze Armate e 141 nell’Arma dei Carabinieri (seduta n. 240 della Commissione Difesa del 18 luglio 2001; indagine conoscitiva condotta in seguito al suicidio di alcuni soldati di leva).
A review of research found that the suicide rates of the elderly show similar regional social correlates as the suicide rates of younger groups and that these rates can be explained using similar sociological theories. Time-series studies in the USA indicate that the impact of economic prosperity on the suicide rate of the elderly is beneficial, whereas the impact on the suicide rate of younger adults is detrimental. The issues raised by this research are discussed.
Social integration theory would view the Stanley Cup of Hockey series as a ceremonial occasion capable of promoting a temporary drop in the incidence of suicide. This proposition is combined with a key postulate of routine activities theory - that people who share similar backgrounds, lifestyles, and interests are inclined to get together in social activities, including in this case watching playoff hockey. It is proposed that the social context surrounding the Stanley Cup constitutes in Quebec a period of increased informal interpersonal contact among the people, and that this should ultimately serve to discourage and/or prevent some potential suicides from occurring. In situations where this type of social context breaks down during the course of the hockey series, suicide is expected to increase temporarily. The analysis reveals that the period comprising the Stanley Cup is by itself not a significant predictor of suicide, though its interactions with sex, age, and marital status are important. During the playoffs (as opposed to other times of the year) young men are in fact more likely to commit suicide, but if they are married, the chances of this happening are reduced significantly. Further analysis indicates that the increased tendency for young men to commit suicide during the hockey series is associated with the situation of when Montreal are ousted early from the competition. The causal mechanisms for this effect are explicated in terms of a premature breakdown of the informal social context associated with the playoffs experience. These results and other features of this study are discussed in relation to previous research regarding sports and mortality.
Findings from a study examining object relations (OR) as a mediator of the link between childhood maltreatment and suicidal behavior in a sample of predominantly low-income, African American women (suicide attempters: n = 53; nonattempters: n = 106) revealed that each OR dimension fully, yet differentially, mediated specific links between 5 types of childhood maltreatment (sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, and emotional and physical neglect) and suicide attempt status. The alienation subscale of 1 of the 2 OR measures used was the most robust mediator, fully mediating the links between all types of childhood maltreatment and suicide attempt status. For both childhood sexual abuse and physical neglect, the links with suicide attempt status were fully mediated by 5 of 6 OR dimensions measured, whereas the other childhood maltreatment types (physical abuse, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect) were fully mediated by just 1 or 2 OR dimensions. Research directions and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The tendency to "bask in reflected glory" (BIRG) by publicly announcing one's associations with successful others was investigated in 3 field experiments with more than 300 university students. All 3 studies showed this effect to occur even though the person striving to bask in the glory of a successful source was not involved in the cause of the source's success. Exp I demonstrated the BIRG phenomenon by showing a greater tendency for university students to wear school-identifying apparel after their school's football team had been victorious than nonvictorious. Exps II and III replicated this effect by showing that students used the pronoun we more when describing victory than a nonvictory of their school's football team. A model was developed asserting that the BIRG response represents an attempt to enhance one's public image. Exps II and III indicated, in support of this assertion, that the tendency to proclaim a connection with a positive source was strongest when one's public image was threatened. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A hypothesized need to form and maintain strong, stable interpersonal relationships is evaluated in light of the empirical literature. The need is for frequent, nonaversive interactions within an ongoing relational bond. Consistent with the belongingness hypothesis, people form social attachments readily under most conditions and resist the dissolution of existing bonds. Belongingness appears to have multiple and strong effects on emotional patterns and on cognitive processes. Lack of attachments is linked to a variety of ill effects on health, adjustment, and well-being. Other evidence, such as that concerning satiation, substitution, and behavioral consequences, is likewise consistent with the hypothesized motivation. Several seeming counterexamples turned out not to disconfirm the hypothesis. Existing evidence supports the hypothesis that the need to belong is a powerful, fundamental, and extremely pervasive motivation.
Although some studies suggest that parenthood is associated with a reduced suicide risk, the impact of children on parental suicide has rarely been documented.
This study investigates the impact of parental status on the risk of completed suicide in the context of other risk factors. A nested case-control design is used, matching for age, sex, and calendar time. The study is based on 4 Danish longitudinal registers, including 18 611 suicides of individuals aged 18 to 75 years from January 1, 1981, to December 31, 1997, and 372 220 matched control subjects. Information about children and subject's individual background is retrieved and merged. Data are analyzed using conditional logistic regression, yielding odds ratios interpreted as incidence rate ratios.
The presence of children is protective against suicide in parents in terms of having children and, to a higher degree, having a young child; these effects exist even when adjusted for marital, socioeconomic, and psychiatric status; and their influences are much stronger in women than in men. At the same time, parents of children with a hospitalized psychiatric disorder and parents of children who have died are at an increased risk for suicide. A child dying during early childhood has a strong effect on suicide in parents, and a suicidal death of a child increases the risk of parental suicide more than a nonsuicidal death. The suicide risk is particularly high in the first month after losing a child.
The impact of children on parental suicide can be protective because of having children. It can also be negative, for example, when losing a child, particularly if the child dies during early childhood; the risk is particularly high during the first month after the loss.
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between disappointment in a community and deliberate self poisoning.
Method:
The Accident and Emergency department records of Nottingham's University Hospital were scrutinised for cases of deliberate self poisoning presenting during the weekend of Nottingham Forest's F.A. Cup Final defeat in 1991 and the weekend of their subsequent failure at the quarter-final stage in 1992. Rates of deliberate self poisoning during these periods of intense expectation and disappointment in Nottingham were compared to the weekends either side of these important football matches.
Results:
Nottingham Forest's defeat in the F.A. Cup Final in 1991 and in the quarterfinals a year later was associated with a short-term excess of cases of deliberate self poisoning in Nottingham. This was statistically significant following the cup final (p<0.01) but not so after only reaching the last eight (p=0.057).
Conclusion:
The repeatability of these findings supports the hypothesis that a sudden disappointment experienced through an entire community may prove one stress too many for some vulnerable members of that community.
This report concerns the validation of a questionnaire designed to assess social-complexity or the extent to which individuals attempt to join and maintain memberships in a number of diverse groups. Three studies (ns of 118, 63, and 125) attest to the single-factor instrument's internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity. In addition, higher scores on the joiners' social-complexity measure were significantly correlated with positive scores on several measures of psychological adjustment. Suggestions for use of the instrument are provided
Journal of Democracy 6.1 (1995) 65-78
As featured on National Public Radio, The New York Times, and in other major media, we offer this sold-out, much-discussed Journal of Democracy article by Robert Putnam, "Bowling Alone." You can also find information at DemocracyNet about the Journal of Democracy and its sponsor, the National Endowment for Democracy.
Many students of the new democracies that have emerged over the past decade and a half have emphasized the importance of a strong and active civil society to the consolidation of democracy. Especially with regard to the postcommunist countries, scholars and democratic activists alike have lamented the absence or obliteration of traditions of independent civic engagement and a widespread tendency toward passive reliance on the state. To those concerned with the weakness of civil societies in the developing or postcommunist world, the advanced Western democracies and above all the United States have typically been taken as models to be emulated. There is striking evidence, however, that the vibrancy of American civil society has notably declined over the past several decades.
Ever since the publication of Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, the United States has played a central role in systematic studies of the links between democracy and civil society. Although this is in part because trends in American life are often regarded as harbingers of social modernization, it is also because America has traditionally been considered unusually "civic" (a reputation that, as we shall later see, has not been entirely unjustified).
When Tocqueville visited the United States in the 1830s, it was the Americans' propensity for civic association that most impressed him as the key to their unprecedented ability to make democracy work. "Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of disposition," he observed, "are forever forming associations. There are not only commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but others of a thousand different types -- religious, moral, serious, futile, very general and very limited, immensely large and very minute. . . . Nothing, in my view, deserves more attention than the intellectual and moral associations in America."
Recently, American social scientists of a neo-Tocquevillean bent have unearthed a wide range of empirical evidence that the quality of public life and the performance of social institutions (and not only in America) are indeed powerfully influenced by norms and networks of civic engagement. Researchers in such fields as education, urban poverty, unemployment, the control of crime and drug abuse, and even health have discovered that successful outcomes are more likely in civically engaged communities. Similarly, research on the varying economic attainments of different ethnic groups in the United States has demonstrated the importance of social bonds within each group. These results are consistent with research in a wide range of settings that demonstrates the vital importance of social networks for job placement and many other economic outcomes.
Meanwhile, a seemingly unrelated body of research on the sociology of economic development has also focused attention on the role of social networks. Some of this work is situated in the developing countries, and some of it elucidates the peculiarly successful "network capitalism" of East Asia. Even in less exotic Western economies, however, researchers have discovered highly efficient, highly flexible "industrial districts" based on networks of collaboration among workers and small entrepreneurs. Far from being paleoindustrial anachronisms, these dense interpersonal and interorganizational networks undergird ultramodern industries, from the high tech of Silicon Valley to the high fashion of Benetton.
The norms and networks of civic engagement also powerfully affect the performance of representative government. That, at least, was the central conclusion of my own 20-year, quasi-experimental study of subnational governments in different regions of Italy. Although all these regional governments seemed identical on paper, their levels of effectiveness varied dramatically. Systematic inquiry showed that the quality of governance was determined by longstanding traditions of civic engagement (or its absence). Voter turnout, newspaper readership, membership in choral societies and football clubs -- these were the hallmarks of a successful region. In fact, historical analysis suggested that these networks of organized reciprocity and civic solidarity...
The goal of this article is to briefly review and summarize the rationale and research support for cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for depressed adolescents. A primary focus of the paper is on our group CBT treatment for adolescent depression, entitled "The Adolescent Coping with Depression Course". In addition, initial findings from a large, recently-completed study contrasting individual CBT with fluoxetine for depressed adolescents (Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study) are presented. Although the research support for CBT as a treatment for depressed adolescents is generally encouraging, we need to better understand which depressed adolescents benefit from CBT, how and when to incorporate medication and family-based interventions into CBT treatment, how to treat depressed adolescents with co- morbid psychiatric conditions, and how CBT interventions fare with non-European-American depressed adolescents.
D. L. Wann (2002) proposed the team identification-psychological health model, hypothesizing that identification with a local sport team will be related to psychological well-being. The model also proposes that identification with distant sport teams and mere fandom will not be related to well-being. In a study involving Australian Rules Football, the authors extended previous research by testing the model with persons from a different culture and examining identifications involving a different sport and level of competition. Participants completed a questionnaire packet assessing their levels of fandom. identification with a local Australian Rules Football team, and identification with a favorite team if different from the target team, as well as measures assessing psychological well-being. With respect to social well-being, the results supported the model: Personal well-being was not related to identification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The suicide rate generally appears to decline during the time of war. The traditional psychodynamic explanation that this decrease results from the legitimization of outward aggression is questioned. World War II evidence from both occupied and neutral countries, together with fluctuations of the suicide rates among the Scandinavian countries, are better understood as reflecting the social conditions of wartime, rather than the presence of actual fighting. These data, and others, point to the hypothesis that the decreased suicide rate during wartime is tied to the greater social integration–increased patriotism, ease of promotions, greater sense of purpose, and so forth–resulting from a state of war.
Seven factors associated with completed suicide among male alcoholics were investigated to determine if victims of differing ages would show different patterns of factors. Data on 56 male alcoholic suicide victims were collected post-mortem. Subjects were divided into three age groups: 21–34, 35–49, and ≥ 50 years. Consistent with the hypotheses, unemployment and recent loss due to separation from a domestic partner were more likely with younger age, and serious medical problems and mood disorders were associated with increased age. There were no differences on other presumed risk factors among the age groups. Results suggest that factors associated with suicide may cluster in male alcoholics of differing ages, with implications for risk recognition and intervention.
Within a multivariate statistical design, the relationship of various interpersonal, emotional, and cognitive variables to suicidal ideation and behavior in college students was examined. A total of 158 subjects (58 males, 100 females) completed self-report measures of life stress, faulty cognitions, loneliness, depression, hopelessness, family cohesiveness, adaptive reasons for living, and suicidal ideation and behavior. The results of a multiple-regression analysis, forward-inclusion algorithm, indicated that a predictive equation consisting of loneliness, irrational beliefs, and low adaptive reasons for living best accounted for suicidal behavior scores. To determine the basic structures and power of the predictor variables under study, a factor analysis and composite regression were employed, resulting in a predictive equation consisting of three factors: Social/Emotional Alienation, Cognitive Distortions, and Deficient Adaptive Resources. Results are discussed in terms of an interactional model of suicidal behavior.
Research on fan behavior in the sociology of sport has discussed the issue of fan behavior at or shortly after the sporting event in detail. Less prevalent in the sociology of sport literature, however, are how successes and failures of sports teams are related to the general public. In this article, suicide and homicide rates are compared to the successes and failures of professional sports teams in 30 metropolitan areas from 1971–1990. Using Gabennesch's (1988) theory of broken promises as a theoretical framework, statistical analyses reveal that making the playoffs is significantly related to a decline in suicide and homicide rates, while winning championships is significantly related to a decline only for suicide rates. Explanations for these associations are offered.
In complicated ways depression is related to suicide. If the national climate could be made depressive by mass media coverage of a depressing event (for example, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy), the suicide rate theoretically ought to increase, unless depression were not related to suicide during time of great national focus. This hypothesis was investigated by using a questionnaire survey requesting information concerning suicide rate for the period November 22--30 for the 17 years 1956--1972. Sixty-one cities were randomly selected and contacted; 29 responded. A total of 74 suicides--48 males and 26 females--were reported during the 17 years studied. The hypothesis that more suicides should have occurred during 1963 was not supported. No suicides occurred during November 22--30 in 1963, the year of the Kennedy assassination. The results were significant at the .01 level. The finding that during a time of focused national crisis fewer suicides occur coincides with the findings of Durkheim (1897/1951).
The hypothesis of a negative association between rates of suicide and number of children in marriage was investigated in a prospective study of 989,949 women followed up for 15 years (1970 through 1985) with 1190 deaths from suicide. Women who had never married exhibited higher relative risks for suicide than married parous and married nonparous women for all age groups younger than 65 years at the start of follow-up. Among the married, the parous women had lower relative risks than nonparous women for all ages. For both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, a strong linear decrease in relative risk for suicide with increasing number of children in marriage was found. The effect of number of children was independent of social class measured as years of completed schooling. The findings provide the first empirical support for theories of parenthood and suicide advanced by Durkheim almost 100 years ago.
Applying a cognitive approach, the purpose of the present study was to expand previous research on stress-vulnerability models of depression and problem-solving deficits, as it relates to suicide attempt. Structural equation modelling, involving latent variables, was used to evaluate (a) whether low self-esteem, a low sense of self-efficacy, loneliness, and divorce constituted vulnerability factors for the development of depression; (b) whether hopelessness and suicidal ideation mediated the relationship between depression and suicide attempt; and (c) whether problem-solving deficits mediated the relationship between the vulnerability factors and suicide attempt, separate from depression/hopelessness. A total of 123 individuals, aged 18-75 years, participated in the study (72 suicide attempters and 51 psychiatric outpatients with no history of suicidal behavior). The results indicated a two path model of suicide attempt. The first path began with low self-esteem, loneliness, and separation or divorce, which advanced to depression, and was further mediated by hopelessness and suicidal ideation which led to suicide attempt. The second path developed from low self-esteem and a low sense of self-efficacy and advanced to suicide attempt, mediated by a negative appraisal of one's own problem-solving capacity, and poor interpersonal problem-solving skills. The importance of addressing both depression/hopelessness, and problem-solving deficits when working with suicide attempters is noted.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether distinctive features of language could be discerned in the poems of poets who committed suicide and to test two suicide models by use of a text-analysis program.
Approximately 300 poems from the early, middle, and late periods of nine suicidal poets and nine nonsuicidal poets were compared by use of the computer text analysis program, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Language use within the poems was analyzed within the context of two suicide models.
In line with a model of social integration, writings of suicidal poets contained more words pertaining to the individual self and fewer words pertaining to the collective than did those of nonsuicidal poets. In addition, the direction of effects for words pertaining to communication was consistent with the social integration model of suicide.
The study found support for a model that suggests that suicidal individuals are detached from others and are preoccupied with self. Furthermore, the findings suggest that linguistic predictors of suicide can be discerned through text analysis.
Seniors aged 75 and above have the highest suicide rates of all age groups in most industrialized countries. However, research concerning risk factors for suicide in the old elderly is sparse.
The purpose was to determine predictors for suicide among the old elderly (75+). Data concerning the young elderly (65-74 years) are shown for comparison.
85 consecutive cases of suicide that occurred in western Sweden and 153 control persons with the same sex, birth year, and zip code as the suicide cases were randomly selected from the tax register. The old elderly group included 38 cases and 71 controls; the young elderly group included 47 cases and 82 controls. Data concerning the suicide cases were collected through interviews with close informants; controls were interviewed in person. The interview included questions on past-year life events and mental and physical health. Medical records were reviewed for cases and controls. The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale - Geriatrics was used to rate illness burden.
Family conflict, serious physical illness, loneliness, and both major and minor depressions were associated with suicide in the 75+ group. Economic problems predicted suicide in the younger but not in the older elderly. Old elderly suicide victims with depression (major or minor) were less likely to have received depression treatment than their younger counterparts.
Better recognition and treatment of both major and minor depression should constitute an important target for the prevention of suicide in the old elderly. Intervention studies with large numbers of senior participants are sorely needed.
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