A cross-cultural study of attitudes toward suicide among young people in India, Italy and Australia

Article

Colucci, E. and Lester, D. 2020. A cross-cultural study of attitudes toward suicide among young people in India, Italy and Australia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 66 (7), pp. 700-706. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020926551
TypeArticle
TitleA cross-cultural study of attitudes toward suicide among young people in India, Italy and Australia
AuthorsColucci, E. and Lester, D.
Abstract

Background: An understanding of the cultural aspects of suicidal behavior is essential for the development of culturally appropriate suicide prevention and intervention strategies.
Aims: This study explored the attitudes toward youth suicide in 686 Italian, Indian and Australian undergraduate students (18-24 years old).
Method: A 21-item suicide attitude inventory titled Attitude towards Youth Suicide (AtYS) Scale was used in the three samples.
Results: Four factors were extracted, labelled negative attitudes toward suicide, belief that suicide was not preventable, suicide as acceptable and normal, and the existence of risk signs for suicide. Country differences were found for all four subscales, with Indian students having the most negative attitudes toward suicide. Sex differences were found in all three countries with women, on the whole, having less negative attitudes toward suicide, more belief in the preventability of suicide in India and more belief in risk signs for suicide in Italy.
Conclusions: Attitudes are linked to suicide in a complex manner. More quantitative and qualitative studies, including in lower-income and non-English speaking Western societies, are needed.

KeywordsSuicide; attitudes; young people ; Italy; India; Australia; culture
PublisherSAGE Publications
JournalInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry
ISSN0020-7640
Electronic1741-2854
Publication dates
Online19 Jun 2020
Print01 Nov 2020
Publication process dates
Deposited24 Apr 2020
Accepted20 Apr 2020
Accepted author manuscript
Supplemental file
Copyright Statement

Colucci, Erminia and Lester, David (2020) A cross-cultural study of attitudes toward suicide among young people in India, Italy and Australia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry . (Journal Volume Number and Issue Number) pp. 700-706. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020926551

Additional information

Supplemental material available to download via Figshare: https://doi.org/10.25384/SAGE.12520253.v1
Supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is here associated with.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020926551
Web of Science identifierWOS:000542310200001
LanguageEnglish
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