GENDER, CULTURE, AND SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR - A FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF THEORIES AND RESEARCH

Suicide research has developed historically from philosophical roots i n logical positivism and structural determinism. Thus, much suicide re search has been based on assumptions of cause-and-effect relationships , reductionistic analysis, and the individual as the primary unit of a nalysis. In counterpoint, six guiding themes define feminist research (Worell & Etaugh, 1994). The present manuscript traces these six theme s, illustrating them with suicide research projects. By challenging sc ientific tradition, focusing on women, considering power, recognizing gender constructs, maintaining awareness of the power of language, and promoting active, practical applications, researchers can combine tra ditional and alternative methodologies to make suicide research more r obust.