Research of International Suicide

Abstract

Twenty two variables of social, economic, geographic and psychological signi ficance, including suicide rate, were factor analysed for forty world nations. Five factors achieved eigenvalues of 1.00 or more, which were the Modern Tech nological State (France, Germany, Sweden), the Affluent State (the U.S.A.), the City-State (Israel, Singapore), the Horizontal Society (Chile, Guatamala), and the Developing Nation (Guyana, Costa Rica). A high national suicide rate was found to be significantly related to the Modem Technological State (P<.001), and a low national suicide rate was found to be significantly associated with the Horizontal Nation (P<.05). Results were interpreted in view of frustration theory and Dur kheim's theory of suicide.