Suicide, Big Five Personality Factors, and Depression at the American State Level

Multiple regression strategies were used to analyze relations between American state suicide rates & state personality means with state socioeconomic status, White population percent, urban population percent, & depression rates controlled. Multiple regression analysis showed that neuroticism accounted for 32.0% & agreeableness another 16.3% of the variance in suicide rates when demographics & depression were controlled. Lower neuroticism & lower agreeableness were associated with higher suicide rates. Lower neuroticism & lower agreeableness may be important risk factors for completed suicide but not suicide ideation or attempted suicide. (36 refs.) JA