Protective factors against suicidal behavior in Latinos.
Latinos appear to be relatively protected against suicidal behavior, but the factors that mediate this effect are not known. Some protective factors may be related to cultural constructs that provide a buffer against suicidal behavior in the face of psychiatric illness. We sought to determine whether the Reasons for Living Inventory (RFLI) might capture protective factors against suicidal behavior in Latinos and non-Latinos. Patients with major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia were interviewed regarding their depressive symptomatology and lifetime history of suicidal behavior. The RFLI, which measures protective factors against suicidal acts, was also administered. Multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationship between suicide measures, ethnicity, and selected clinical and demographic variables. Although Latinos and non-Latinos did not differ significantly in attempter status (attempter/nonattempter), number of attempts, or suicide intent, Latinos reported significantly less suicidal ideation and made less lethal attempts. On the RFLI, Latinos scored significantly higher on subscales regarding survival and coping beliefs, responsibility to family, and moral objections to suicide, possibly reflective of cultural norms endorsed by Latino groups. Multivariate analyses suggested that although being Latino was independently associated with less suicidal ideation, other suicidal behaviors held a stronger relationship to moral objections to suicide and survival and coping skills than to ethnicity. Self-identification as Latino may be associated with espousing cultural constructs that mediate protective effects against suicidal behavior. Constructs identified in the RFLI may protect Latinos from acting on suicidal thoughts, affecting moral objections to suicide and survival and coping beliefs. Further studies to elucidate the impact of these factors on suicidal behavior and their relationship to specific cultural constructs would be of interest.
Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Maria A
MA
Oquendo
Dianna
D
Dragatsi
Jill
J
Harkavy-Friedman
Kanita
K
Dervic
Dianne
D
Currier
Ainsley Keller
AK
Burke
Michael F
MF
Grunebaum
J John
JJ
Mann
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention