SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG THE ELDERLY - PERSONAL VARIABLES, STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT

Fifty-three elderly men and 51 elderly women participated in a study o f the relationship between suicidal ideation and selected personal, st ress, and social support variables. A multifactor theory formed the ba sis for the selection of variables, which included age, gender, marita l status, Living arrangements, perceived religiousness, alcohol use, s elf-esteem, depression, negative stress, satisfaction with health, soc ial isolation, and satisfaction with social support. Bivariate correla tion analyses found suicidal ideation to be related to infrequent alco hol consumption, high depression, high social isolation, and dissatisf action with health and social support. Results of a multiple regressio n analysis identified (dis)satisfaction with social support, gender, l iving arrangements, and (in)frequency of alcohol use as significant pr edictors.