Suicide: A Comparative Analysis

Sociological theories of suicide rates have not been systematically tested by cross-national research. This paper reports tests of three related theories of suicide (status integration, anomie, and industrialization theories) with data from 45 nations. A multiple regression analysis determined that the degree of female labor force participation, a variable in the status integration theory, was the most important correlate of suicide rates. A preliminary analysis of sex-specific suicide rates demonstrates that female labor force participation is most closely associated with male suicide, indicating that married males may experience more role conflict from their wives working than the wives themselves.