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Related Experiment Videos

Can personality predict suicidality? A study in two cultures.

Ahmed Abdel-Khalek1, David Lester

  • 1Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, Kuwait University, Kaifan.

The International Journal of Social Psychiatry
|November 5, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Kuwaiti and American students differ in psychological traits like pessimism and optimism. Predictors of suicidal ideation varied between the groups, highlighting cultural differences in mental health.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cross-cultural Psychology
  • Mental Health Research

Background:

  • Understanding psychological differences between cultural groups is crucial for mental health.
  • Previous research suggests variations in emotional and cognitive patterns across cultures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare psychological traits and predictors of suicidal ideation in Kuwaiti and American undergraduates.
  • To investigate the relationship between negative affect, optimism, and suicidal ideation across cultures.

Main Methods:

  • Administered seven questionnaires to 460 Kuwaiti and 273 American undergraduates in their respective languages.
  • Utilized Pearson inter-correlations and multiple regression analyses to examine scale relationships and predictive validity.

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Main Results:

  • Kuwaiti students scored higher on ego-grasping orientation, death obsession, pessimism, obsession-compulsion, and anxiety.
  • American students scored higher on optimism; no significant differences in suicidal ideation were found.
  • A bipolar factor, 'Negative affect versus optimism', emerged from the data.
  • Pessimism, death obsession, and anxiety predicted suicidal ideation in Kuwaiti students.
  • Optimism (negatively), anxiety, pessimism, death obsession, and male sex predicted suicidal ideation in American students.

Conclusions:

  • Significant psychological differences exist between Kuwaiti and American students, particularly concerning negative affect and optimism.
  • Predictors of suicidal ideation are culturally influenced, with distinct factors emerging for each group.
  • The study underscores the importance of considering cultural context in mental health assessments and interventions.