The role of shame in suicide.
Abstract
The differences between shame and guilt are explored, with a focus on experiential and developmental factors and on behavioral reactions to these emotions. The role of shame as a motive for suicidal behavior is illustrated with examples of suicidal behavior in Greek tragedy, Asian cultures, and jails, and among contemporary suicides, such as that in 1996 by Admiral Mike Boorda, Chief of U.S. Naval Operations.
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Shame has some anecdotal links to suicide.
“It also has some anecdotal links to suicide (Mokros, 1995; Lester, 1997; Kalafat and Lester, 2000).”
From The Social Roots of Suicide: Theorizing How the External Social World Matters to Suicide and Suicide Prevention (2021) · cites this paper as Lester, 1997
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“It also has some anecdotal links to suicide (Mokros, 1995; Lester, 1997; Kalafat and Lester, 2000).”
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- Authors
- Lester, D.
- Corresponding author
- Lester, David
- ORCID
- Lester, David
- Venue
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1997-12
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 352-361
- ISSN
- 0363-0234 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-278X
- OpenAlex
- W4387640632
- Cited by
- 121
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 0.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- shame, guilt, suicidal behavior, suicide motives, emotional development, Greek tragedy, Asian culture, jail suicide
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Mental Disorders, Culture, Female, Guilt, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prisoners, Sex Factors, Shame, Suicide
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