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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Suzanne McLaren ,
Rapson Gomez ,
Peter Gill  and
Jessica Chesler
Suzanne McLaren*
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Rapson Gomez
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Peter Gill
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Jessica Chesler
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Suzanne McLaren, PhD, School of Health Sciences and Psychology, Federation University Australia, PO Box 663, Ballarat VIC 3353, Australia. Phone: +61 3 5327 9628; Fax: +61 3 5327 9240. Email: s.mclaren@federation.edu.au.
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Abstract

Background:

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.

Methods:

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.

Results:

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.

Conclusions:

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.

Keywords

suicidal ideationmarital statusbelongingcommunity samplemen
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , pp. 145 - 154
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2014 

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