Citation

Denning DG, Conwell Y, King D, Cox C. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2000; 30(3): 282-288.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine, NY, USA. Diane_Denning@urmc.rochester.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11079640

Abstract

Women who commit suicide use less violent methods, such as drugs and carbon monoxide poisoning, than do men, who more often use violent methods such as guns and hanging. Theories that attempt to explain this finding focus on gender differences in suicidal intent, socialization, emotions, interpersonal relationships, orientation and access to methods, and neurobiological factors. Data from a psychological autopsy study were used to test the theory that women who commit suicide use less violent means because they are less intent on dying. Although women were significantly less likely to use a violent method than men, there was no difference in the lethality of their suicidal intent.