Gender Differentiation in Indirect Self-Destructiveness and Suicide Attempt Methods (Gender, Indirect Self-Destructiveness, and Suicide Attempts)

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the gender (sex) differentiation of indirect self-destructiveness and its manifestations as well as its relationships with suicide attempt methods in females and males. 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 including Transgression and Risk, Poor Health Maintenance, Personal and Social Neglects, Lack of Planfulness, and Helplessness and Passiveness in the face of problems. Differences testing and correlation analyses were applied. Females scored higher on poor health maintenance and males scored significantly higher on personal and social neglects, lack of planfulness, and helplessness. Noteworthy is that the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness in females reached the same magnitude as in males. A number of statistically significant correlations were found between indirect self-destructiveness, or its manifestations, and the methods of suicide attempt in the two groups. Among these categories, the highest contribution was of helplessness and passiveness (both of groups), poor health maintenance (males), and personal and social neglects (females). Results of this study can be useful in the therapeutic efforts and prevention of not only indirectly self-destructive behaviours but also possible suicide attempts. Both preventive and therapeutic activities can take into account the specificity of those phenomena resulting from one’s sex/gender. It is important to adapt preventive and therapeutic measures to psychological (personal) features that arise from an individual’s sex/gender.

Indirect Self-Destructiveness and Emotional Intelligence

“…Emotional intelligence negatively correlates, among others, with deviant social behaviour (active form of indirect self-destructiveness) and depression, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness (passive form of indirect self-destructiveness), anxiety and suicidal ideation [ 18 ]. In turn, the occurrence of associations between suicide attempts and indirect self-destructiveness (its severity and manifestations as well) has been shown in other studies [ 19 – 22 ].…”

Biting myself so I don’t bite the dust: prevalence and predictors of deliberate self-harm and suicide ideation in Azorean youths

“…Future studies -resorting to different assessment methods, such as interviews and screening procedures, and with longitudinal designs -may provide a clearer understanding of the causes of NSSI behaviors in this particular population. It would be of significant interest to explore the gender differences in suicide ideation found in the current sample, 65,66 study the relationship between coping strategies and processes underlying self-harm behaviors in different age ranges and clinical samples, and carry out cross-cultural and intracultural comparisons (such as comparative studies of youths living in isolated communities and on mainland areas that share a common cultural background).…”

Gender differences among medically serious suicide attempters aged 15–54 years in rural China

“…From previous studies, it is currently understood that females are at greater risk for attempted suicide worldwide (Emet et al, 2015; Jeon et al, 2013; Plattner et al, 2007), but males utilize violent methods more frequently in Western countries (Lucas et al, 2014) which may account for their higher rate of suicide death compared to females. Other studies have also noted gender differences in socio-demographic and psychiatric factors (Chau et al, 2014; Tsirigotis et al, 2014). Similarly, within China, there is also growing evidence of potential gender differences among suicide attempts and suicide fatalities.…”