Abstract
Gender differences in suicide-related behaviorswere examined in an older adolescent and a young adultsample (primarily Caucasian). Suicide-related behaviorswere assessed by the Life Attitudes Schedule (LAS) as well as by measures of depressivesymptomatology and hopelessness. The LAS measures a broadcontinuum of potentially life-diminishing orlife-enhancing behaviors. There are four LAScontent-category subscales: overtly suicidal and death-related,self-related, risk and injury-related, and health-relatedbehaviors. As hypothesized, in both samples, genderdifferences in the expression of suicide-related behaviors were obtained. Males from both samplesendorsed substantially more risk-taking andinjury-producing behaviors than females. Males in bothsamples also reported more negative health-relatedbehaviors than females. In contrast, females reported moresymptoms of depression than males. Hopelessness scoresonly differentiated male and female young adults; maleand female adolescents did not differ significantly on the hopelessness measure. These findings areprimarily discussed in terms of gender-role socializationtheory. Implications for the treatment of suicidality aredrawn.
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Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., Lewinsohn, P., Rohde, P. et al. Gender Differences in the Suicide-Related Behaviors of Adolescents and Young Adults. Sex Roles 39, 839–854 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018824621193
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018824621193