The Effect of Religion on Suicide Ideology: An Analysis of the Networks Perspective

Previous work on religion and suicide has pursued a number of themes. The present work tested a new perspective which stresses the extent of social support networks in religions as protections against suicide. This study employed micro-level data on suicide attitudes as a check on previous findings based on ecological data. An analysis of national data from the General Social Surveys tended to support network theory. Churches promoting network involvement were found to have lower levels of suicide ideology. In particular, churches with conservative theologies, nonecumenical relations, and/or whose teachings are in tension with the larger society have lower levels of suicide ideology. These findings were independent of control variables drawn from alternative theories of suicide.