A cross-cultural study of suicide

Northwestern University • Evanston • Published In • Pages: 251 •
By Krauss, Herbert H.

Abstract

In this dissertation the author tests Naroll's "thwarting disorientation" theory of suicide further by testing hypotheses using individual suicide cases described in ethnography. Author also considered the societal factors that could create stress.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
OtherCombinationNaroll's 1965 sample

Hypotheses (5)

HypothesisSupported
"The number of suicide cases reported to be caused by extrapersonal frustration [EF] should be related to the number of TD [thwarting disorientation] situations in a cultunit, but this relationship should be weaker than the relationship between number of suicides . . . scored IF [interpersonal frustration] and number of TD [thwarting disorientation] situations scored present" (45)Supported
"Interpersonal frustration [IF] was posited to be associated with suicide and TD [thwarting disorientation] situations were conceived of as potentially leading to IF [interpersonal frustration]" (45)Supported
"The greater the TD [thwarting disorientation] level, the greater the number of suicides in a cultunit" (44)Supported
"Whether a suicide case was considered IF [interpersonal frustration] of EF [extrapersonal frustration] was . . . independent of case length" (80)Supported
"The number of suicide cases . . . should be directly related to the number of TD [thwarting disorientation] situations scored present [in a] cultunit" (44)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas