The Protective Influence of Religious Aspects on Completed Suicide in Countries Worldwide: The Link with Suicide Acceptability, Controlled for Demographic Factors.

Abstract

Previous research showed a protective influence of religion on suicidality and suicide. However, current studies in the field are primarily individual-based. The present study focused instead on the protective influence of religious values on suicide on a country bases. Three aspects of religion were assessed, namely ‘religion and spiritual reflection and commitment’, ‘unifying interconnectedness’ and ‘permissiveness’ and their relationship with suicide completion and suicide acceptability, controlling for income and age. Data was extracted from the World Values Survey Wave 6, the World Health Organization Mortality Database and the Income Mountain Database, resulting in the investigation of 53 countries. Hypothesis were tested using correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Correlation analysis showed a negative relationship between ‘religion and spiritual reflection and commitment’ and ‘unifying interconnectedness’ and suicide completion and acceptability. And a positive relationship between ‘permissiveness’ and suicide completion and acceptability. The multiple linear regression analysis partly confirmed the hypothesis, which can be explained through various possibilities. These findings indicate the relevance of individual characteristics rather than a pattern that occurs worldwide and questions the importance of religion. This makes the present study a relevant addition to previous religion and suicide research and reveals the importance of further research to uncover other factors that explain the differences in suicide rates worldwide.