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Cited by 200Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesGender Roles and Identity StudiesHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

Better dead than dishonored: masculinity and male suicidal behavior in contemporary Ghana.

Adinkrah, Mensah·2012·Social Science & Medicine
DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.10.011
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Abstract

In Ghana reliable official data on suicidal behavior are not available. There is also limited empirical research on suicidal behavior in the country. At the same time, police-recorded suicide data, media reports, and communication from professionals in the field indicate that suicidal behavior is a growing problem. To identify current patterns and meanings of male suicidal behavior in Ghana, the study examined official police data spanning 2006-2008. This investigation revealed that reported cases of fatal and nonfatal suicidal behavior overwhelmingly involved males. Furthermore, the majority of males who engaged in suicidal acts did so to deal with feelings of shame and dishonor of variable sources. Findings suggest changing the rigid dichotomization associated with male-female gender roles and socialization that emphasize masculinity ideals in Ghana and the need for increased research and the promotion of counseling for males facing emotional stress.

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  • In cultures or subcultures with strong traditional male norms, failure to meet masculine expectations is closely tied to suicide as a way of restoring honor.

    “For instance, research in cultures or subcultures with strong traditional male norms evince far more “honor” suicides as failure to meet masculine expectations are closely tied to suicide as a way of restoring honor (Adinkrah, 2012; Cleary, 2012).”

    From The Social Roots of Suicide: Theorizing How the External Social World Matters to Suicide and Suicide Prevention (2021) · cites this paper as Adinkrah, 2012

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Authors
Adinkrah, M.
Affiliations
Central Michigan University (US)
Corresponding author
Adinkrah, Mensah
ORCID
Adinkrah, Mensah
Venue
Social Science & Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-02
Volume
74
Issue
4
Pages
474-481
ISSN
0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.10.011
OpenAlex
W1979702379
Cited by
200
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
FWCI
3.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Science & Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
masculinity, gender roles, gender socialization, Ghana
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Christianity, Chronic Disease, Crime, Culture, Female, Ghana, Humans, Erectile Dysfunction, Islam, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Sexual Behavior, Social Desirability, Suicide, Unemployment, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Young Adult, Masculinity, Social Stigma

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