Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Moral objections to suicide and suicidal ideation among mood disordered Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics
Randall Richardson-Vejlgaard1, Leo Sher, Maria A Oquendo
1Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA. richran@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
Unlabelled:
Understanding the beliefs that protect individuals against suicide can help to enhance suicide prevention strategies. One measure of suicide non-acceptability is the moral objections to suicide (MOS) sub-scale of the reasons for living inventory (RFLI). This study examined the MOS and suicidal ideation of White, Black, and Hispanic individuals with mood disorders. We expected minority individuals to have stronger objections to suicide.
Method:
Eight hundred and four, White (588), Black (122) and Hispanic (94) participants with DSM-IV diagnoses of MDD or bipolar disorder were administered the scale for suicide ideation, the reasons for living inventory and several measures of clinical distress.
Results:
Higher suicidal ideation was modestly correlated with lower MOS scores overall (r=0.15, p=0.001). Among Blacks however the relationship was inverted: despite having higher suicidal ideation than Whites or Hispanics, Blacks reported the least accepting attitudes toward suicide.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that attitudes regarding the acceptability of suicide may be independent of suicidal ideation.
Related Concept Videos
Motivational Bias
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Psychosurgery
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
