REVIEW OF LITERATURE

George Domino (2005) studied about Cross-cultural attitude towards suicide using SOQ I.e,
Suicide opinion questionnaire. The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) has been used in many
studies to assess cross-cultural attitudes towards suicide; these include studies in countries such
as the USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Singapore, to name a few. These studies suggest not only
that the SOQ is applicable to various cultures, but also suggest that there is diversity in attitudes
worldwide. Yet, there are problems (e.g., psychometric properties), but despite such limitations,
further research with the SOQ is warranted. This paper reviews the development of the SOQ and
its application to cross-cultural contexts.

Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry(2005) studied about Nursing personnel attitudes towards suicide
using SBAQ scale I.e, Suicide Behaviour attitude Questionnaire. To describe the construction of
the Suicide Behaviour Attitude Questionnaire (SBAQ) which measures attitudes of nursing
personnel towards suicide, and verify attitude differences among these professionals. It as
concluded as The Suicide Behaviour Attitude Questionnaire proved to be user-friendly and quite
a simple instrument to assess attitude towards suicide among nursing personnel.

Brill Sense (1989) the study describes the construction and psychometric characteristics of a 63-
item scale for measuring attitudes towards suicide (SUIATT) designed in such a way as to meet
the criticisms against the SOQ [suicide opinion questionnaire] the SUIATT is proposed to be of
use in comparative studies on differences in suicide rates across communities and for educational
purposes.

Ellinor Salander Renberg, Lars Jacobsson (2003) studied on Suicide and Life-Threatening
Behaviour and its application in a Swedish population. The results implied complex relationships
at the aggregated level between attitudes and suicidal behaviour, depending on type of suicidal
behaviour, attitude factor, and subgroup. At the individual level, persons answering affirmative
on own suicidal behaviour, as compared to the non suicidal group, held a more permissive and
understanding attitude toward suicide.
Mary Limbacher, George Domino (1986) studied on Attitudes toward suicide among attempters,
contemplators, and non attempters. A discriminant function analysis, using the seven factors,
yielded two significant functions that discriminated respondents on the basis of sex and prior
suicide history. The results are considered in the context of three issues (acceptability, lethality,
and mental illness) important to the dynamics of suicide, and in terms of Goffman's theory of
deviance.

Heidi Hjelmeland, Birthe Loa Knizek (2004) studied about, “The general public's views on
suicide and suicide prevention, and their perception of participating in a study on attitudes
towards suicide”. Aim of the presented study was to investigate whether common myths about
suicide still prevail, what people in general think are the most common causes for suicide,
whether suicide can be prevented. The results showed that the common myths still prevail, that
people in general mainly assign intrapersonal causes to suicide, with the belief that suicide can
be prevented, and that they perceived their participation in the study positively. The value of the
general public in suicide prevention and the need for increased openness and competence
building were emphasized.

Urška Arnautovska, Onja T Grad (2010) studied on Attitudes toward suicide in the adolescent
population. To examine attitudes of Slovene adolescents toward suicide and their connection to
different suicide risk factors. The results proved our expectation of girls having more permissive
attitudes toward suicide than boys. Also, a permissive attitude was positively associated with the
majority of suicide risk factors.

Manami Kodaka, Masatoshi Inagaki, Mitsuhiko Yamada (2013) studied about Factors associated
with attitudes toward suicide. This study explores the factors associated with the attitudes of
pharmacists toward suicide. Participants who had previously received suicide-related education
were more likely to have positive attitudes toward suicide prevention. Conversely, those with a
lifetime history of suicidal thoughts had more permissive attitudes toward one’s right to commit
suicide.
Mary Limbacher, George Domino (1986) studied about Attitudes toward suicide in Japanese and
American medical students using Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ). An analysis of the
individual SOQ items revealed substantial differences between Japanese and United States
medical students in their views on suicide.

Jan Christopher Cwik, Benedikt Till, Angela Bieda, Simon E Blackwell, Carolin Walter, Tobias
Teismann (2017) studied about Measuring attitudes towards suicide: Preliminary evaluation of
an attitude towards suicide scale. This study aimed to validate a previously published scale
assessing attitudes towards suicide. Factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and
predictive validity were investigated. The result was Positive attitudes towards suicide proved to
be predictive of suicide risk status, providing preliminary evidence for the utility of the scale.
Future studies aiming to reproduce the factor structure in a more heterogeneous sample are
warranted.

Scott Brunero, Julie Smith, Emma Bates, Gerry Fairbrother (2008) studied about Health
professionals' attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. This study measures a group of
non‐mental health professionals' attitude towards suicide prevention initiatives. Health
professionals that had attended suicide prevention education showed significantly more positive
attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. The findings in this study further support the
effectiveness of educating non‐mental health professionals in suicide risk awareness and
management.
Rohini Thimmaiah, Vijayalakshmi Poreddi, Rajalakshmi Ramu, Sugavana Selvi, Suresh Bada
Math(2016) studied about Influence of religion on attitude towards suicide: An Indian
perspective. This study also showed that suicidal behaviours were comparatively low among
Muslim participants than Hindus. Further, Muslims hold more negative attitudes towards suicide
than Hindus. An enhanced understanding of attitudes towards suicide among general population
may be crucial to plan educational, intervention and prevention programs.

Manami Kodaka, Masatoshi Inagaki, Vita Poštuvan, Mitsuhiko Yamada (2013) studied about
Exploration of factors associated with social worker attitudes toward suicide. Social workers are
expected to play important roles in suicide intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore
associations between personal or occupational factors of social workers and their attitudes
toward suicide. The result of the research was Participants with a history of suicidal thoughts had
stronger attitudes regarding the right to suicide than those with no history; these attitudes were
not affected by a history of participating in suicide-prevention training

George Domino, Karen Miller (1992) studied about Religiosity and attitudes toward suicide The
relationship between religiosity and attitudes toward suicide was assessed in a sample of 186
Christian adults, most affiliated with churches or church-related organizations. A significant
correlational pattern was obtained, such that persons higher on religiosity tended to perceive
suicide as reflective of mental illness, as less of a cry for help, as not being an individual's
prerogative, as highly related to a lack of religious influence, as “abnormal” behaviour, as
evidence of the aggressiveness of human nature, and as a moral evil not to be condoned.
George Domino, Janet Catherine Macgregor, Mo Therese Hannah (1989) did a study on
Collegiate attitudes toward suicide: New Zealand and United States. The target population of this
study was US students and New Zealand students. The result was Substantial differences were
found, with New Zealand students attitudinally perceiving to a greater degree a relationship
between suicide and mental illness, perceiving suicide as less serious, agreeing with the right to
take one's life, and seeing suicide in a more religious context and as a less impulsive, less
“normal,” and more moral action.

J Osafo, Birthe Loa Knizek, Charity Sylvia Akotia, Heidi Hjelmeland (2012) studied on Attitudes
of psychologists and nurses toward suicide and suicide prevention in Ghana. The purpose of this
study was to understand the attitudes of health professionals toward suicidal behaviour and its
prevention in Ghana. The target population of this study was health professionals. The study
concluded as Health workers in Ghana need training in suicidology to improve both knowledge
and skills relevant for suicide prevention.

Maude H Alston, Beverly H Robinson(1992) studied on Nurses' attitudes toward suicide. The
purpose of this study was to determine whether nurses' attitudes toward suicide are based on
clinical specialty, age, and highest degree completed. The target population of the study was
Nurses. The study was concluded as descriptive analysis of representative items from each scale
was completed, and anecdotal accounts of participants' comments about suicide were explored.
Judith M Stillion, Bethany D Stillion (1999) studied about Attitudes toward suicide: Past, present
and future. This article maintains that it is important to understand how any given society views
the act of suicide. It traces the forces that have shaped attitudes toward suicide in the Western
world, documenting the change from viewing suicide as a sin to viewing it as a mental health
problem. It also discusses recent methods of assessing attitudes toward suicide, including both
normed and non-normed approaches. Finally, it calls for new types of research in the area of
attitudes toward suicide that will permit finer-grained analyses of this most complex human
behaviour.

Elmar Etzersdorfer, Lakshmi Vijayakumar, W Schöny, A Grausgruber, Gernot Sonneck (1998)

studied on Attitudes towards suicide among medical students: comparison between Madras
(India) and Vienna (Austria). The target population was medical students which compares
between Madras and Vienna. The conclusion of the study was The answers concerning suicidal
ideation seem to be strongly influenced by the different attitude patterns: only 16.8% reported
previous suicidal ideation in Madras, compared to 51.5% in Vienna, whereas the percentage of
reported suicide attempts is equal in both centres (5.9%:4.9%).