Citation

Renberg ES, Jacobsson L. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2003; 33(1): 52-64.

Affiliation

Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry and WHO Collaborating Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. ellinor.salander.renberg@psychiat.umu.se

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12710540

Abstract

An instrument measuring attitudes toward suicide was developed through two postal questionnaire surveys, 1986 and 1996, approaching general population samples of 700 and 1,000 persons, respectively, and with response rates of 75% and 64%. A 10-factor model was obtained and comparisons between waves revealed an overall more permissive and pro-preventional attitude in 1996. The results implied complex relationships at the aggregated level between attitudes and suicidal behavior, depending on type of suicidal behavior, attitude factor, and subgroup. At the individual level, persons answering affirmative on own suicidal behavior, as compared to the nonsuicidal group, held a more permissive and understanding attitude toward suicide.