CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF THE THWARTING-DISORIENTATION THEORY OF SUICIDE.

A CROSS-CULTURAL SURVEY OF 58 CULTURES INVESTIGATED THE THWARTING-DISORIENTATION THEORY OF SUICIDE. HYPOTHESIZED THAT SUICIDE TAKES PLACE IN CONTEXTS IN WHICH A PERSON'S SOCIAL TIES ARE DISRUPTED OR THREATENED WITH DISRUPTION BY THE DISCRETIONARY ACTS OF HIMSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. ALSO, IT WAS POSITED THAT THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT A SOCIETY PROVIDES FOR THE OCCURRENCE OF THWARTING DISORIENTATION, THE GREATER WOULD BE ITS SUICIDE RATE. EVIDENCE CONFIRMING THESE HYPOTHESES WAS OBTAINED. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)