Gender Differences in the Association of Religiosity with Suicidal Behavior

• In Event: 341 - Section on Sociology of Religion Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 05. Religion and "Deviance"

Abstract

Religiosity has repeatedly been shown to be associated with reduced likelihood for suicidal behavior. Proposed explanations for this effect have alluded to constructs including social integration, behavioral regulation, meaning in life, and hope. However, evidence has also suggested that the protective effect of religiosity against suicidal behavior may be specific to females. This study used a multiple group structural equation model to examine in 424 undergraduate students (288 female), whether the above-mentioned constructs significantly mediated the negative relationship between religiosity and likelihood for suicidal behavior, and if associations differed by gender. Results indicated that a significant negative association between religiosity and likelihood for suicidal behavior indeed existed only among females, and that all proposed mediating constructs independently contributed specific indirect effects, with the total indirect effect accounting for 57.8 % of the bivariate association. Among males, religiosity was significantly associated with meaning in life, and likelihood for suicidal behavior was significantly associated with social disintegration and hopelessness, but there were no significant direct or indirect paths from religiosity to likelihood for suicidal behavior. These findings suggest that psychological factors should be attended to in lieu of religiosity when assessing and treating one’s risk for suicide.

Authors

• Matthew Podlogar, Florida State University

• Stella Min, Florida State University