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Women, Femininity, Indirect and Direct Self-Destructiveness. A Review
1Department of Psychology, Jan Kochanowski University, Piotrków Trybunalski Branch, Słowackiego 114/118 str, 97-300, Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland. psyche1@onet.eu.
The Psychiatric Quarterly
|November 9, 2017
Summary
This study on self-destructiveness in women found lower indirect self-destructiveness compared to men. This may explain why male suicides are more often fatal, linking masculinity to higher indirect self-harm.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gender Studies
- Criminology
Background:
- Research into self-destructive behaviors is crucial for understanding suicide.
- Gender differences in suicide rates and methods are a noted paradox.
- Self-destructiveness can manifest directly (e.g., suicide attempts) or indirectly (e.g., risky behaviors).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on direct and indirect self-destructiveness in women.
- To compare self-destructiveness levels between women who attempted suicide and those who did not.
- To explore gender-related factors influencing self-destructive behaviors and suicide outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing research projects focusing on self-destructiveness.
- Utilized the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale.
- Employed the Bem Sex Role Inventory to assess gender schemas.
Main Results:
- Women exhibit lower levels of indirect self-destructiveness.
- Masculinity and male sex are associated with increased indirect self-destructiveness.
- Femininity and female sex appear to be protective factors against indirect self-destructiveness.
Conclusions:
- The hypothesis that men's higher indirect self-destructiveness contributes to more fatal suicides is proposed.
- Gender schema incongruent with biological sex significantly impacts indirect self-destructiveness intensity.
- Understanding these gender dynamics is vital for suicide prevention strategies.
