SummaryBackgroundSuicide is an important public health problem worldwide, especially due to an increasing rate of suicides committed by violent methods. This study compared and assessed the methods used in suicide attempts (but no completed suicides) as undertaken by men and women and investigated the possible role of gender in the selection of suicide method.Material/MethodsThe study was conducted among persons who attempted suicide by various methods and were admitted to hospital. The study population comprised 147 participants (33 males and 114 females) aged between 14 and 33 years.ResultsThe most prevalent methods of suicide attempts were pharmacological drugs abuse (42.31%) and exsanguination (25.64%), and the least frequent were poisoning and throwing oneself under a moving car (1.28%). The findings revealed that the female subjects tended to choose pharmacological drugs overdose and exsanguination as the suicide method, while males more frequently used hanging and asphyxia. Females also used a greater number of different suicide methods.ConclusionsThe study results indicate that women as a group more frequently attempted suicide rather than actually committing it, whereas men were more likely to complete suicides and choose more violent suicide methods; thus, women are the “attempters” and “survivors” of suicide attempts. The study findings may have implications for therapy and prevention of suicide, and suggest that psychotherapeutic activities should be tailored to the psychological and personality traits associated with gender identity.

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Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the sex (gender) differentiation of indirect self-destructiveness intensity and its manifestations, as well as relationships between indirect self-destructiveness and its manifestations (categories) and the psychological dimensions of masculinity and femininity, also from the point of view of assessing occupational health and safety. Materials and Methods: A population of 558 individuals (399 females and 159 males) aged 19-25 (mean age: 22.6) was studied. The Polish version of the "Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale" (CS-DS) by Kelley adapted by Suchańska was used in order to examine indirect self-destructiveness and its manifestations. Gender testing applied the Polish version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) by Bem in its adaptation by Kuczyńska. Results: Males' scores are significantly higher than those of females for the majority of CS-DS scales/indices: Indirect Self-Destructiveness (general index), Poor Health Maintenance (A2), Lack of Planfulness (A4), and Helplessness, Passiveness (A5). Moreover, there are statistically significant correlations between CS-DS scales and the masculinity dimension (positive) as well as the femininity dimension (negative). Conclusions: Masculinity is a factor that may predispose towards indirectly self-destructive behaviors, while femininity is a factor protecting against those. The study results may prove useful in preventing indirectly and directly self-destructive behaviors as well as in therapy work with the individuals who display such tendencies or have made attempts on their own lives, in particular taking into account their being of a specific sex/gender and in the context of work (especially in difficult or dangerous conditions or both).

The research results indicate that, as compared with the group of heterosexual individuals, in the group of homosexuals there occurs a worsening in psychological functioning, which may be also manifested by an increased indirect self-destructiveness index. The increased intensity of indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals may be considered a manifestation of worsened psychological functioning. The homosexual individuals look after their health similarly to heterosexuals.

The method of suicide attempt is related to motivational processes and the psycho(patho)logical mechanisms and traits of an individual. Indirect self-destructiveness is related to direct self-destructiveness. It is presumed that it can transform to the latter thus leading to suicide attempts or death by suicide. The study objective was to examine the relationship between individual manifestations of indirect self-destructiveness and the methods of suicide attempt as well as to explore the indirect predictors of particular suicide methods. The study was conducted among 147 persons (114 females, 33 males) who attempted suicide. The research instrument was the Polish version of the “Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale” (CS-DS), including Transgression and Risk, Poor Health Maintenance, Personal and Social Neglects, Lack of Planfulness, and Helplessness and Passiveness in the face of problems. Correlation and regression analyses were applied. A number of statistically significant correlations were found between indirect self-destructiveness, or its manifestations, and the methods of suicide attempt. Moreover, the particular categories of indirect self-destructive behaviour were found to largely determine the choice of the method of suicide attempt. Among these categories, the strongest predictor appeared to be Helplessness and Passiveness in the face of problems. The method of suicide attempt is a variable related to psychosocial determinants of suicidal behaviour. The findings of this study may prove useful in the design and implementation of therapeutic activities focused on persons who attempted suicide. Recognising the particular manifestations of indirect self-destructive behaviours of an attempter can guide implementation of therapeutic measures, for him/her e.g. via strengthening coping skills and eliminating risk factors for self-harm.