Citation

Bungard W. Aktuelle Gerontol. 1977; 7(2): 81-89.

Vernacular Title

Isolation, Einsamkeit und Selbstmordgendanken im Alter.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

26237

Abstract

The relationship between various dimensions of social isolation, loneliness and suicidal ideas among a group of 406 respondents over 65 years of age were analyzed. The survey findings show that suicidal ideas emerge as a result of both, a loss of or a social denial to intimate and highly valued personal relationships. Generally, these suicidal ideas are connected to feelings of loneliness which are unrelated to the quantity of other social contacts. It seems to be of particular relevance whether the disengagement occurred voluntarily and whether the personal life style showed consistency of persistency resp. Based on these findings the fundamental problems of a social psychological approach to gerontology are discussed. These problems arise out of the more or less perfect correspondence between objective indicators of a social situation and its subjective correlates.

Language: de