Cross-cultural attitudes towards suicide among South African secondary school pupils.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the attitudes towards suicide among Grade II secondary school pupils among three cultural groups in South Africa.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
Grade II Secondary school pupils chosen at random from three urban schools in Pietersburg.


METHODS
The sample included 366 pupils, 150 (41%) males and 216 (59%) females, the mean age was 19.3 years (SD = 2.6), with a range from 17 to 24 years. The three cultural groups were 142 blacks, 112 whites and 112 Asians.


METHODS
Socioeconomic and family background (14 items), suicide data (4 items), and a 30-item Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency Scale for Adolescents (MAST-12).


RESULTS
Suicide ideation and plans to commit suicide are the highest among Asians, closely followed by Whites and lowest among Black pupils. The frequency of attempted suicide was lower among Blacks (11.3%) than that among Asians (13.5%) and Whites (13%). Analysis of variance indicated a significantly higher score among suicide attempters on attraction to death and repulsion by life and a significantly lower score on attraction to life and repulsion by death. Furthermore, this study found a significant correlation between total MAST, suicide ideation, suicide intent, history of completed suicide in family or friend, parents divorced, family size and suicide attempt.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found differential effects across diverse ethnocultural adolescent groups for suicidal ideation, plants and attempts. This gives indications on how suicide prevention programmes can be constructed in culture-congenial ways.
Peltzer
K
K
Department of Psychology, University of the North, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa.
Cherian
V I
VI
Cherian
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D044383:Black People; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D013019:South Africa; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D014987:Xerostomia