State University of New York
College at Buffalo
Department of Sociology
Professor Zhang Jie, Ph.D.
Soc 393: Sociology of Mental Illness
Study Guide Number 4
Review of the Study Guides 1-3
Mental Disorder and Suicide in
the World
Definition
of Suicide by Durkheim
Self act
Directly
or indicatively
Purpose
of death
Precipitating
circumstances for suicide in the United States
Intimate
partner problem
Physical
health problem
Job
problem
Financial
problem
Disclosed
intent to take their life
The
most common methods of suicide in the United States
Firearm
Suffocation
Fall
Poisoning
Cut/piece
WHO
on Suicide in the World
Suicide
is the act of deliberately killing oneself
Risk
factors for suicide
ό mental disorder
such as
depression, personality disorder, alcohol dependence, or schizophrenia
ό physical
illnesses
such as
neurological disorders, cancer, and HIV infection
There
are effective strategies and interventions for the prevention of suicide
The
World Suicide Data
Every
year, almost one million people die from suicide; a "global"
mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds.
In
the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide.
Suicide
is among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 years in some
countries, and the second leading cause of death in the 10-24 years age group.
These
figures do not include suicide attempts which are up to 20 times more frequent
than completed suicide.
Global
Burden of Disease from Suicide
Suicide
worldwide is estimated to represent 1.8% of the total global burden of disease
in 1998.
Although
traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates
among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the
group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing
countries.
Suicide Etiology
Psychiatric
Model: Mental disorders (particularly depression and alcohol use disorders) are
a major risk factor for suicide in Europe and North America.
Sociological
Model: Social structure, social facts, and social problems.
Psychological
Model: Impulsiveness plays an important role in Asian countries.
Social
Cultural Model: Suicide rates remain the same over time regardless of social
change.
Suicide
is complex with psychological, social, biological, cultural and environmental
factors involved.
Suicide
Rates in the World: The lowest five in the world
Granada
Honduras
Saint
Kitts and Nevis
Antigua
and Barbuda
Haiti
Suicide
Rate in the United States: 12/100,000
Over
all
By
gender
By
age
Distribution
of suicides rates by gender and age in the United States
Evolution
1950-2000 of global suicide rates in the world
Changes
in the age distribution of cases of suicide in the world
Suicide
rates in China 1995-1999
Suicide
rates in China 1987-2008
Suicide
rates and depression
2005
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
During
war time
The
week after September 11, 2001
The
debatable findings in the effect of SSRI
Suicide
rates in the US over past decades
The
decline of Chinese suicide rates in the past 15 years
Suicide:
Durkheim concluded that
Suicide
rates are higher in men than women.
Suicide
rates are higher for those who are single than those who are married.
Suicide
rates are higher for people without children than people with children.
Suicide
rates are higher among Protestants than Catholics and Jews.
Suicide
rates are higher among soldiers than civilians.
Suicide
rates are higher in times of peace than in times of war
Suicide
rates are higher in Scandinavian countries.
the higher the education level, the
more likely it was that an individual would commit suicide. However Durkheim
established that there is more correlation between an individual's religion and
suicide rate than an individual's education level; Jewish people were generally
highly educated but had a low suicide rate.
Four
types of suicide by Durkheim
Egoistic
suicide
Altruistic
suicide
Anomic
suicide
Fatalistic
suicide
Durkheimanism on integration
and regulation
Depression
and Suicide
Over
90% of the suicide in the West could be diagnosed with a mental illness.
About
50% of the suicides in China could be diagnosed with a mental Illness.
Understanding
the Constant Rates in the US and the Decreased Rates in China
Treatments
of depression and other mental disorders in the US?
Treatments
of depression and other mental disorders in the China?
Pesticides
control in China?
The
Strain Theory of Suicide
The
four sources of strain for suicide and mental disorders
Source 1: Differential Values from differential values
Source 2: Reality vs. Aspiration from the
discrepancy between aspiration and reality
Source 3: Relative Deprivation from the
relative deprivation
Source 4: Deficient Coping from deficient
coping skills in the face of a cri
The
theoretical foundation of the strain theory of suicide
Cognitive dissonance theory
Strain theory of crime
The Social Psychological Model of Suicide
Strain
Suicide
Moderators
mediators
Measuring the Strains That Lead to Suicide
Measures of Value Strain
Modernity vs. traditionalism
Mainstream religion and cult values
Liberal and conservative
Measures of Aspiration Strain
Finance
Work
Family/marriage
Church
School
Etc.
Self
comparisons
Measures of Deprivation Strain
Economy
Status
Family
Education
Religion
Etc.
Comparing with others
Measures of Coping Strain: (Mooss
Coping Response Inventory)
Mental Disorders and Psychopathology as Mediators
Major Depression
Other Mental Disorders
Anxiety
Hopelessness
Prevention from the Upper Stream
Strain Reduction Therapy: Take It Easy!
Conclusions on the Strain Theory of Suicide
High rates in China 20 years ago
Rural areas
Rural young women
Rapid overall decrease of rates in China
Decrease in rural areas
Decrease for women
Depression and Suicide: Comorbidity
Depression, not the cause of increase
Depression, not the reason for decrease
Reduction of the Strain
Natural
Manipulated
The Theoretical Foundation of the Strain Theory of
Suicide:
Reference and Perception: Towards Social Relativism
Development of the Social Relativity Perspective
Structural Functionalism
Conflict Theory
Symbolic Interactionism
Exchange Theory
SOCIAL RELATIVITY
Social Relativity
Nature of Relationship
Everything is relative
Each perception is based a reference
Additional to Western based sociology
Four Propositions for the Reference Theory
1. Any perception is based on a reference.
2. No reference, no perception.
3. Ones perception can be manipulated by changing
the reference
4. As a new perspective, the reference theory can be
complementary to all other existing social and behavioral theories.
Albert Einstein on Reference Theory