Marital Status Integration, Suicide Disapproval, and Societal Integration as Explanations of Marital Status Differences in Female Age-Specific Suicide Rates

3 competing explanations are tested to determine why the suicide rates of married women are typically lower than the suicide rates of single women. The explanations are marital status integration, societal integration, & a nation’s normative order about disapproval of suicide. Data refer to age & marital status-specific female suicide rates from 12 developed countries. Results provide the strongest support for the marital status integration theory & consistent support for the social integration perspective. There is also mixed support for the cultural disapproval of suicide hypothesis. (34 refs.)