Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Lester

Publications and source records attributed to D Lester.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Suicide in America: a nation of immigrants.

The patterns of suicide of immigrants are briefly explored, followed by a more detailed study of the suicidal behavior of Chinese in different nations of the world (including America), African American slaves in the 1600s and 1700s, and Native Americans. Some of the implications of the issues addressed are explored for their relevance in counseling clients from different cultures.

Acculturation↗
PubMed1997

Suicide in an international perspective.

Epidemiological trends in national suicide rates were identified, including a slowdown in the 1980s in the suicide rates of nations with the highest rates and a rising male suicide rate worldwide. A review of theories of national differences in suicide rates permitted selection of a small set of predictor variables, which were quite successful in predicting the suicide rates of 17 industrialized nations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Adolescents' attitudes toward the death penalty.

In this study, a questionnaire was administered to 142 students at two high schools (72 boys and 70 girls) and 112 students at a state college (36 men and 76 women) to determine whether they favored the death penalty for certain criminal acts. A questionnaire was also administered to assess extraversion and neuroticism. The findings indicated that high school students rated more criminal acts as meriting the death penalty than did college students. Gender and personality were not found to be associated with attitudes toward the death penalty.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Domestic social integration and suicide in Israel.

In time-series studies of Israeli suicide rates from 1960 to 1989, male and female suicide rates were positively associated with marriage rates. Divorce rates were positively associated with male suicide rates but negatively with female suicide rates, while the pattern for the association between birth rates and suicide rates was reversed. These results were not as consistent with predictions from Durkheim's theory of suicide as were the results from the USA for the same time period.

Divorce↗
PubMed1997

The effectiveness of suicide prevention centers: a review.

This article reviews 14 studies examining whether suicide prevention centers have a preventive effect on suicide rates. Seven studies were identified that provide some support for a preventive effect, one found an increase in the suicide rates, and six failed to find any significant effects (either preventive or facilitative). The studies' different methodologies are reviewed, and limitations on the authors' conclusions pointed out. The conclusion of this article is that the evidence provides support for a preventive effect from suicide prevention centers, albeit small and inconsistently found.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

The role of shame in suicide.

The differences between shame and guilt are explored, with a focus on experiential and developmental factors and on behavioral reactions to these emotions. The role of shame as a motive for suicidal behavior is illustrated with examples of suicidal behavior in Greek tragedy, Asian cultures, and jails, and among contemporary suicides, such as that in 1996 by Admiral Mike Boorda, Chief of U.S. Naval Operations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Suicide trends in eight predominantly English-speaking countries 1960-1989.

Suicide rates between 1960 and 1989 were explored for eight predominantly English speaking countries with similar national characteristics. New World countries showed significant similarities but differed from Old World countries. The two North American (NA) New World countries showed more similarity to each other than the two Australasian New World countries. The NA countries showed an unique plateau in the 1980s for males aged 15-29 years. Old World males of all ages showed common rises, suggesting a partial sex-specific influence in the young. However, trends among the 15- to 19-year-olds were significantly different to trends among the 20- to 29-year-olds in both sexes suggesting a substantial youth-related contribution to the rises. Rates among 15- to 19-year-old females rose in the early 1960s, ahead of males but in parallel with rises among older females, suggesting part of the rise was sex- as opposed to age-related. Although rates among the 15- to 19-year-old females showed little change since 1970, this may be partly a function of sex-related improvements-observable in older females disguising unfavourable youth-related influences. Possible aetiological factors are suggested but remain speculative. Studies of other nations with common cultural characteristics may clarify trends and aetiological issues. Care should be taken to differentiate sex- from age-related influences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Testing Durkheim's theory of suicide: a comment.

In ten nations from 1900 to 1988, birth rates were more consistently and more strongly associated with suicide rates than were marriage rates, confirming the results of a study in Bavaria by Wiedenmann and Weyerer.

Birth Rate↗
PubMed1996

Regional variation in homicide rates of infants and children.

GOAL: This study examines regional correlates of homicide rates for infants and children for the states of America. SAMPLE: The sample consists of all homicide victims in the 48 continental, contiguous states of America in both 1980 and 1990 from the ages of 0-14. METHODS: The homicide rates of infants aged 0-1 and children aged 1-4 and 5-14 were correlated with social indicators for the American states in 1980 and 1990. RESULTS: In 1980, children aged 1-14 had higher homicide rates in the more generally violent, urban, and socially disorganized states. However, no correlates for the homicide rate of infants were identified, suggesting that different theories may be required to explain their deaths. The analyses were repeated using data for 1990, at which time crime rates and fewer medical facilities were more weakly associated with the homicide rate of infants. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that different sociological theories may be required to account for the regional variation in the homicide rates of infants from those used for explaining the variation in the rates of children.

Adolescent↗