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Depressive Symptoms and Suicide Risk in Older Adults: Value Placed on Autonomy as a Moderator for Men but Not Women
Author(s) -
Bamonti Patricia M.,
Price Elizabeth C.,
Fiske Amy
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/sltb.12062
Subject(s) - autonomy , moderation , suicide prevention , poison control , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , depressive symptoms , human factors and ergonomics , psychology , suicide risk , medicine , psychiatry , gerontology , medical emergency , social psychology , cognition , pathology , political science , law
Risk for suicide is elevated among older men. We examined whether value placed on autonomy amplifies the relation between depressive symptoms and suicide risk differently for older men and women. Participants were 98 community‐dwelling older adults, M age 73.6 ( SD = 8.6), 65.1% female, 93.1% White. Questionnaires measured suicide risk ( SBQ ‐R), depressive symptoms ( CESD ), and value placed on autonomy ( PSI ‐ II autonomy). Among men, depressive symptoms were associated with suicide risk only when PSI ‐ II autonomy was elevated. Among women, greater depressive symptoms were associated with suicide risk at all levels of PSI ‐ II autonomy. Further research on attitudes toward autonomy is warranted.