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Can Personality Predict Suicidality? A Study in Two Cultures

Author

Listed:
  • Ahmed Abdel-Khalek

    (Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 68168 Kaifan, Code No, 71962, Kuwait.)

  • David Lester

    (Richard Stockton College, New Jersey)

Abstract

Kuwaiti (n = 460) and American (n = 273) undergraduates responded to seven questionnaires in Arabic and English, respectively. It was found that Kuwaiti students attained significantly higher total mean scores on ego-grasping orientation (anti-Taoist orientation), death obsession, pessimism, obsession-compulsion and anxiety scales than the American students, while the latter group had a significantly high mean score on an optimism scale. There were no significant differences between the groups in suicidal ideation. Almost all the Pearson inter-correlations between these scales were significant and positive, except that those between the scale scores and optimism scores were negative. The unrotated factor was bipolar, clear and high-loaded, labeled “Negative affect versus optimism†. Multiple regression revealed that the best predictors of suicidal ideation were pessimism, death obsession and anxiety in the Kuwaiti students, while they were optimism (negatively), anxiety, pessimism, death obsession and male sex in the American students, respectively. The other scales did not contribute significantly to the prediction of suicidal ideation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmed Abdel-Khalek & David Lester, 2002. "Can Personality Predict Suicidality? A Study in Two Cultures," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 48(3), pages 231-239, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:48:y:2002:i:3:p:231-239
    DOI: 10.1177/002076402128783271
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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmed Abdel-Khalek, 2004. "Research Note: Happiness among Kuwaiti College Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 93-97, March.
    2. Ahmed Abdel-Khalek & David Lester, 2006. "Optimism and Pessimism in Kuwaiti and American College Students," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 52(2), pages 110-126, March.
    3. Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek & David Lester, 2012. "Constructions of religiosity, subjective well-being, anxiety, and depression in two cultures: Kuwait and USA," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 58(2), pages 138-145, March.

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