INTERACTIONAL ANALYSIS OF SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR

Analyzes the limitations inherent in 5 empirical research models (pure environmental, pure individual differences, discrete parallel, nonparallel typological, and parallel typological models) that have been used to study suicidal behavior. These extant models are shown to have specific limitations in terms of their ability to reflect an interactional perspective on suicidal behavior. A more adequate research model was then developed and used to test 2 hypotheses derived from a general interactional thesis; approximately 510,400 Ss were studied. Findings support both hypotheses, thus providing considerable support for the general thesis, i.e., that such real-life behaviors cannot adequately be understood by recourse to either individual difference variables alone or environmental variables alone. The implications of these findings and the empirical research model that revealed them are discussed in terms of heuristic value and relevance to students of other forms of human behavior. (76 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.