Global Patterns of Suicide

I. WORLD SUICIDE DATA: men’s suicide risk (rate) higher than for women without exception today

A. for 2/3 countries, double or more

B. Morselli’s data century ago

C. India 1872 exception

D. Yet attempted suicide rate higher for women!

II. Threatened identities theory

1. life-changing events jeopardize self-concept

2. identity supports central to self-concept

3. contingent or performance-oriented self-concept

4. psychological career: past, present, future self

III. Gender and life cycle

A. women kin keepers

B. male breadwinner role

C. occupational v. parental roles

D. middle age apex

E. gender differences in old age