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Subjective well-being, suicide, and homicide
1Psychology Program, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Pomona 08240-0195, USA.
Psychological Reports
|October 17, 1998
Summary
Suicide and homicide rates in 46 nations were not linked to subjective well-being. Instead, these violence rates correlated with national economic indices, suggesting economic factors are more influential.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Criminology
- Psychology
Background:
- Understanding the determinants of suicide and homicide rates is crucial for public health and policy.
- Previous research has explored various factors, including mental health and social conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between subjective well-being and rates of suicide and homicide across diverse nations.
- To determine whether economic indicators are more strongly correlated with these violence rates than subjective well-being.
Main Methods:
- Cross-national analysis utilizing data from 46 countries.
- Statistical examination of the correlation between subjective well-being measures and official suicide/homicide rates.
- Comparison of these correlations with those involving key economic indices.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between subjective well-being and national suicide or homicide rates.
- Economic indices demonstrated a notable correlation with both suicide and homicide rates across the sampled nations.
Conclusions:
- Subjective well-being does not appear to be a primary correlate of national suicide and homicide rates.
- Economic factors play a more significant role in the prevalence of suicide and homicide than individual well-being.