DIMENSIONS OF SUICIDE - PERCEPTIONS OF LETHALITY, TIME, AND AGONY

Two hundred ninety-one lay persons and 10 forensic pathologists rated the lethality, time, and agony for 28 methods of suicide for 4117 case s of completed suicide in Los Angeles County in the period 1988-1991. Whereas pathologists provided consistent ratings, lay persons demonstr ated extreme variability and a tendency to inflate ratings of all thre e dimensions. Significant gender differences emerged, with females rat ing frequently used suicide methods more similarly to pathologists tha n the males did. Males who suicided used the most lethal and quickest methods whereas females selected methods varying in lethality, duratio n, and agony. African Americans were overrepresented in the use of the most lethal and quickest methods.