Citation

Trovato F, Vos R. Sociol. Forum 1992; 7(4): 661-677.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Eastern Sociological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1007/BF01112320

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The cultural context affects the relationship between women's involvement in the labor force and the odds of suicide for both men and women. In this study, we examine this relationship in Canada in 1971 and then again in 1981, when cultural conditions were significantly different. Two hypotheses are evaluated: (1) in 1971 the effects of married female labor force participation increase suicide risk for both men and women, due to the relative antipathy of society toward women's participation in the labor force; and (2) in 1981 the effects of married female labor force participation decrease the risk of suicide for both sexes, for there are net positive gains (psychic and material) in a context of widespread acceptance of women's involvement in the paid economy. The empirical analysis provides support for these two hypotheses.