Gender, Attributional Styles, and Direction of Lethal Violence: a Partial Test of an Integrated Model of Suicide and Homicide

The present study is a partial test of the N. P. Unnithan et al (1994) integrated model of suicide & homicide, focusing specifically on gender differences in the suicide-to-homicide ratio (SHR). Using aggregate national suicide & homicide rates for the years 1979 through 1997, SHRs & lethal violence rates (LVRs) are calculated & compared by gender. Analyses reveal that women’s SHRs are substantially higher than those for men. In addition, it is found that trends in LVRs over time are significantly different for men & women. (42 refs)