Citation

Bergen DD, Saharso S. Eur. J. Womens Stud. 2016; 23(3): 297-311.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1350506815609740

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Ethnic minority status and female gender convey a risk for suicidal behavior, yet research of suicidality of ethnic minority female immigrants is scarce. The authors of this article conducted qualitative interviews with 15 young women (of four ethnicities) in the Netherlands, who either had attempted suicide or contemplated suicide, and analyzed these in a narrative psychology tradition. Suicidality was associated with despair and frustration over the violation of the women's personal autonomy and self-integrity regarding strategic life choices. Autonomy restrictions and violations followed two patterns, which are interconnected with four criteria regarding the capacity for autonomy.

FINDINGS are discussed with referral to Durkheim and feminist theories of autonomy.

Language: en