Sex Differences in Peer Responsiveness to Suicide Ideation

Two surveys assessing attitudes toward and beliefs about suicide were conducted with undergraduates. There were 473 participants in Survey I and 692 participants in Survey II. Sex differences were found in participants' receptivity to suicidal individuals, beliefs about the behavior of suicidal peers, attitudes concerning the worth of suicidal people, incidence of adolescent suicide, and morality of suicide. There was no sex difference in participants' own frequency or seriousness of suicide ideation or suicide attempts. Results are discussed in terms of hypotheses concerning traditional socialization of males and females, resulting in sex-role differentiation that may influence attitudes toward and beliefs about suicide.