DIVERGENCIES BETWEEN ATTITUDES TOWARDS LIFE AND DEATH AMONG SUICIDAL PSYCHOSOMATIC AND NORMAL HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

ATTITUDES TOWARDS LIFE AND DEATH WERE GATHERED FROM SUICIDAL, PSYCHOSOMATIC, AND NORMAL HOSPITALIZED ADULT MALE PATIENTS VIA SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL RATINGS OF THE CONCEPTS. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED BY COMPARING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE RATINGS OF LIFE AND DEATH MADE BY THE 3 GROUPS OF SS ON THE EVALUATIVE, ACTIVITY, AND POTENCY FACTORS OF THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF DIVERGENCY BETWEEN THE ATTITUDES ON ALL 3 FACTOR SCORES OCCURRED AMONG THE SUICIDAL SS AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER GROUPS. THE SUICIDAL INDIVIDUAL'S GREATER DIVERGENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS LIFE AND DEATH MAY BE 1 OF THE CONDITIONS THAT MAKES A CHOICE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH POSSIBLE. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.