Marital status integration, psychological well-being, and suicide acceptability as predictors of marital status differentials in suicide rates

Age-gender-marital status-specific 1979 and 1992-1994 US White suicide rates test the hypotheses that marital status differences in these suicide rates are caused by (1) marital status differences in marital status integration, (2) marital status differences in psychological well-being, and/or (3) marital status differences in suicide acceptability. A proxy for years spent in a marital status was included in the analysis of all age groups. The dependent variable is the standardized suicide difference coefficient. In multiple regression analysis, psychological well-being and suicide acceptability were consistently related to the dependent variable for persons aged 20-54, 55 and over, and 20 and over, while marital status integration was related to the dependent variable only for persons 20-54 and 20 and over. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.