Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1992, 74, 278.
O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1992
SUICIDE NOTES FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES ' ANTOON A. LEENAARS Windsor, Ontario Summary.-The rate of suicide is higher in Canada than in the USA. There are, however, few empirical studies comparing these two countries. Suicide notes from both countries were compared based on a multidimensional model of suicide. No major differences were noted. It is concluded that, although the model may be applicable to suicides in both countries, sociological research (e.g., attitudes) may be more fruitful to account for the differences in the rates of suicide. The rate of suicide in Canada is higher than in the USA (5). There are, however, relatively few empirical studies comparing these two countries; indeed, there is little cross-cultural research on suicide per se. To date, there have been no theoretical attempts to compare and contrast suicide in Canada and the USA in a psychologically meaningful manner. Leenaars (2, 3 , 4), after almost a decade and a half of research, has presented a multidimensional model to understand suicide. Specifically, the model is based on eight clusters: unbearable psychological pain, interpenonal relations, rejection-aggression, inability to adjust, indirect expressions, identification-egression, ego and cognitive constriction. Utilizing suicide notes from both countries, the purpose of this study was to compare the theoretical-conceptual processes, outlined by Leenaars (4), in suicide notes and, by implication, in suicide. It should be noted that this study marks the first cross-cultural study of suicide notes. Fifty-six suicide notes, whose writers were matched for age and sex, were compared independently on the clusters and specific protocol sentences in each cluster (3). None of the clusten reached significance. Only one protocol sentence was significant, specifically observing that notes from Canada more often expressed statements of wanting to egress [xI1(N= 56) = 9.33, p < .Dl]. This lone diflerence, however, in light of the many comparisons made is open to question and must be replicated. Equally important here is accepting the null hypothesis. The study suggests that there may be no psychological basis such as need for attachment, mental state, psychopathology, etc. for the different rates of suicide in the two countries. Recent studies of attitudes have been more fruitful (1). It may well be that sociological research rather than psychological may be productive in accounting for this cultural difference in Canada and the USA. On a different note, it may be cautiously assumed that the multidimensional theory of suicide (2, 3, 4) is as applicable to Canadians as Americans. However, whether the model can be applied to people in other countries has yet to be studied. REFERENCES 1.
DOMINO, G., & LEENAARS, A. A. (1992) Attitudes toward suicide in four North American
cities. Paper submitted for publication. 2. LEENAARS. A. A. (1988) Suicide notes. New York: Human Sciences Press. 3. LEENAARS, A. A. (1989) Suicide across the adult life-span: an archival study. Crisis, 10, 132-151. 4. LEENAARS, A. A. (1992) Suicide: a multidimensional malaise (Paper in progress) 5 . LEENAARS, A. A,, & LESTER,D. (1991) A comparison of rates and patterns of suicide for Canada and the United States, 1960-1988. Death Shrdjes, in press. Accepted January 29, 1992. 'Address corres ondence to A. A. Leenaars, Ph.D., 880 Ouellette, Suite 806, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 1 f 7 .
O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1992
SUICIDE NOTES FROM CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES ' ANTOON A. LEENAARS Windsor, Ontario Summary.-The rate of suicide is higher in Canada than in the USA. There are, however, few empirical studies comparing these two countries. Suicide notes from both countries were compared based on a multidimensional model of suicide. No major differences were noted. It is concluded that, although the model may be applicable to suicides in both countries, sociological research (e.g., attitudes) may be more fruitful to account for the differences in the rates of suicide. The rate of suicide in Canada is higher than in the USA (5). There are, however, relatively few empirical studies comparing these two countries; indeed, there is little cross-cultural research on suicide per se. To date, there have been no theoretical attempts to compare and contrast suicide in Canada and the USA in a psychologically meaningful manner. Leenaars (2, 3 , 4), after almost a decade and a half of research, has presented a multidimensional model to understand suicide. Specifically, the model is based on eight clusters: unbearable psychological pain, interpenonal relations, rejection-aggression, inability to adjust, indirect expressions, identification-egression, ego and cognitive constriction. Utilizing suicide notes from both countries, the purpose of this study was to compare the theoretical-conceptual processes, outlined by Leenaars (4), in suicide notes and, by implication, in suicide. It should be noted that this study marks the first cross-cultural study of suicide notes. Fifty-six suicide notes, whose writers were matched for age and sex, were compared independently on the clusters and specific protocol sentences in each cluster (3). None of the clusten reached significance. Only one protocol sentence was significant, specifically observing that notes from Canada more often expressed statements of wanting to egress [xI1(N= 56) = 9.33, p < .Dl]. This lone diflerence, however, in light of the many comparisons made is open to question and must be replicated. Equally important here is accepting the null hypothesis. The study suggests that there may be no psychological basis such as need for attachment, mental state, psychopathology, etc. for the different rates of suicide in the two countries. Recent studies of attitudes have been more fruitful (1). It may well be that sociological research rather than psychological may be productive in accounting for this cultural difference in Canada and the USA. On a different note, it may be cautiously assumed that the multidimensional theory of suicide (2, 3, 4) is as applicable to Canadians as Americans. However, whether the model can be applied to people in other countries has yet to be studied. REFERENCES 1.
DOMINO, G., & LEENAARS, A. A. (1992) Attitudes toward suicide in four North American
cities. Paper submitted for publication. 2. LEENAARS. A. A. (1988) Suicide notes. New York: Human Sciences Press. 3. LEENAARS, A. A. (1989) Suicide across the adult life-span: an archival study. Crisis, 10, 132-151. 4. LEENAARS, A. A. (1992) Suicide: a multidimensional malaise (Paper in progress) 5 . LEENAARS, A. A,, & LESTER,D. (1991) A comparison of rates and patterns of suicide for Canada and the United States, 1960-1988. Death Shrdjes, in press. Accepted January 29, 1992. 'Address corres ondence to A. A. Leenaars, Ph.D., 880 Ouellette, Suite 806, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 1 f 7 .
