Suicide and the Generation Gap*

ABSTRACT: To explore psychological parameters of suicide as perceived by young adults, the middle-aged, and old people, an area sample of 317 Detroit subjects, whose ages placed them in one of these three generations, was administered a questionnaire concerning their beliefs about the generations and suicide and their self-reported relationship to suicide. A 3-way fixed-effects analysis of variance (generation × sex × socioeconomic status) indicated that all generations believed that the old (a) have the greatest desire to die, (b) know the least about suicide, (c) make the fewest attempts, (d) are the least frequently successful, and (e) are the least socially condemned for committing suicide. Self-appraisals indicated that (a) lower socioeconomic status is associated with a greater “death wish,” (b) young adults and males claim a greater knowledge about suicide, and (c) the generations do not differ in desire to die, considerations of suicide, and suicide attempts.