Broken homes among attempted suicides and psychiatric out-patients: A comparative study

Abstract

Many investigators have pointed out the social and psychological meanings of broken homes and their effects on individuals' behaviour. Goldfarb (3) stressed the importance of normal parental relationships both in ego formation and in the transfer of ego functions from parent to child. Thompson (16) maintains that the loss of a familiar perceptual framework may be as equally important as the loss of a love-object. Bowlby (2) points out that love deprivation and superficial relationships frequently lead to maladjustment and delinquency. Kardiner (4) emphasizes the importance of the social and cultural values of tender emotion as the basis of social cohesion and culture. Several research workers have found high incidences of broken homes among schizophrenics (Pollack et al., 10; Lidz, 5; Oltman et al., 8) and among neurotics (Madow and Hardy, 6; McGregor, 7). Other research workers have been concerned with the incidence of broken homes among individuals who attempt suicide (Palmer, 9; Reitman, 11; Sainsbury, 12; Batchelor and Napier, 1; Stengel and Cook, 14; Walton, 18; Teichner, 15; Toolan, 17; Simon, 13). However, the majority of the latter group of studies have lacked comparative control groups. The present study investigates several factors of social disorganization which distinguish a group of attempted suicides with a history of broken homes from a group of psychiatric out-patients who have not attempted suicide but have a history of broken homes. All comparisons will be between attempted suicides and psychiatric out-patients from broken homes.