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Cited by 449Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesReligion, Spirituality, and PsychologyHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

Religious affiliation and suicide attempt

Dervic, Kanita, Oquendo, Maria A., Grunebaum, Michael F., Ellis, Steve, Burke, Ainsley K., Mann, J. John·2004·American Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.12.2303
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the association between religion and suicide either in terms of Durkheim's social integration hypothesis or the hypothesis of the regulative benefits of religion. The relationship between religion and suicide attempts has received even less attention. METHOD: Depressed inpatients (N=371) who reported belonging to one specific religion or described themselves as having no religious affiliation were compared in terms of their demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found. CONCLUSIONS: Religious affiliation is associated with less suicidal behavior in depressed inpatients. After other factors were controlled, it was found that greater moral objections to suicide and lower aggression level in religiously affiliated subjects may function as protective factors against suicide attempts. Further study about the influence of religious affiliation on aggressive behavior and how moral objections can reduce the probability of acting on suicidal thoughts may offer new therapeutic strategies in suicide prevention.

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Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.12.2303

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  • Spirituality and religiousness have been cited as protective factors against the development of depression and suicidality, a relationship that might be understood as a function of connectedness at a spiritual or instrumental level.

    “Spirituality and religiousness have been cited as protective factors against the development of the depression and suicidality (19, 45), a relationship that might also be understood as a function of connectedness at a spiritual or instrumental level”

    From Suicide in older adults (2011) · cites this paper as [45]

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Authors
Dervic, K., Oquendo, M. A., Grunebaum, M. F., Ellis, S., Burke, A. K., & Mann, J. J.
Affiliations
New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Published
2004-12-01
Volume
161
Issue
12
Pages
2303-2308
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
DOI
10.1176/appi.ajp.161.12.2303
OpenAlex
W2107327700
Cited by
449
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 21
FWCI
13.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH 62185, MH48514, R01MH040695, R01MH048514, MH 40695, P50MH062185)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
religious affiliation, suicide attempts, depression, suicide prevention, aggression, impulsivity, substance use disorders, family history of suicide, reasons for living
MeSH terms
Adult, Aggression, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Morals, Religion, Suicide, Attempted, Logistic Models

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