Marital status and suicidal ideation among Australian older
adults: the mediating role of sense of belonging

- McLaren, Suzanne, Gomez, Rapson, Gill, Peter, Chester, Jessica

Title
Marital status and suicidal ideation among Australian older adults: the mediating role of sense of belonging
Creator
McLaren, Suzanne; Gomez, Rapson; Gill, Peter; Chester, Jessica
Date
2014
Type
Text; Journal article
Identifier
http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/77103
Identifier
vital:7666
Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610214001501
Identifier
ISSN:1041-6102
Abstract
Marriage has been identified as a protective factor in relation to suicide among older adults. The current study aimed to investigate whether sense of belonging mediated the marital status-suicidal ideation relationship, and whether gender moderated the mediation model. It was hypothesized that the relationship between being widowed and lower levels of sense of belonging, and between lower levels of belonging and higher levels of suicidal ideation, would be stronger for older men than older women. A community sample of Australian men (n = 286) and women (n = 383) aged from 65 to 98 years completed the psychological subscale of the Sense of Belonging Instrument and the suicide subscale of the General Health Questionnaire. The results supported the moderated mediation model, with gender influencing the marital status-sense of belonging relation. For men, widowhood was associated with lower levels of belongingness, whereas for women, marital status was unrelated to sense of belonging. It would appear crucial to develop and implement interventions which assist older men to find new ways to feel important and valued after the death of their spouse.
Relation
International Psychogeriatrics Vol. 27, no. 1 (2014), p. 145-154
Rights
Copyright Cambridge
Rights
Open Access
Rights
This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
Subject
Suicidal ideation; Marital status; Belonging; Community sample; Men; 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences; 11 Medical and Health Sciences
Full Text
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