[Can social support help prevent men from suicide attempt?]

The goal of this study is to investigate whether social support may constitute a protective factor for attempted suicide among men and, if so, to identify the most important sources and forms of support. The study compares two groups of men who experienced comparable stressful events during the last 12 months : 40 men admitted to hospital emergency following suicide attempts, and 40 men with no history of suicide attempts. Results indicate that the men who attempted suicide perceive less support available and are less satisfied with the support they received following the most difficult stressful event that occurred in the last year. Concrete help and reassurance of worth are the forms of support that appear to be of most importance. This study highlights the importance of social support in the prevention of suicidal behaviours among men.