CULTURAL-DIFFERENCES, PERFECTIONISM, AND SUICIDAL RISK IN A COLLEGE POPULATION - DOES SOCIAL-PROBLEM SOLVING STILL MATTER

The relations between cultural influences, perfectionism, social probl em solving, and subsequent suicidal risk (viz., hopelessness and suici de potential) were examined among 148 college students. Hierarchical r egression analyses were conducted to determine whether social problem solving predicted suicidal risk (I month later) beyond what was accoun ted for by ethnic status (Asian American or Caucasian American) and pe rfectionism. Results of these analyses indicated that ethnic status (S tep 1) was a significant predictor of both hopelessness and suicide po tential. Furthermore, perfectionism (Step 2) was found to add signific ant incremental validity for predicting variance in both outcome crite ria. In contrast social problem solving (Step 3) added significant inc remental validity for predicting variance in suicide potential, but no t for predicting hopelessness. Results indicate that social problem so lving is a more useful predictor of suicide potential than of hopeless ness. Implications for future research are discussed.