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In Reply to: thanks posted by porceleindoll on March 21, 2006 at 22:14:34:
Asking people about suicide in a survey or poll is highly political...as you're learning. I participate in an inter-agency committee that surveys high school students about a range of health risks, e.g., drinking, drug use, cigarettes, bullying, dietary habits, exercise, etc. It's actually a national survey instrument called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Anyhoo...often enough, school officials will refuse to administer the survey because it asks whether the individual has experienced suicidal thoughts, made suicide plans, taken suicide attempts, and visited a hospital ER after an attempt in the last 12 months. School boards and some parents object because the information is too personal, also, they have the belief that if someone asks a kid the questions, they'll get the idea that it's something they should try.
The only thing that's more political on the survey is asking kids about their sexual behavior. Oh Lord.
I've done some more thinking about your multiple choice question. If you don't change anything else, I think it would be good to ask how long in TF and/or how long outside TF. I was in for about 18 months. I've had many 18-month periods in my life when I wasn't bothered by suicidal thoughts. Someone who's only been out for 18 to 36 months may not have hit that wall--and may never hit it--but time does have a way of correlating with stress and downward spirals into depression.
BTW, another correlate of suicidal thinking is substance abuse. People who abuse mood altering substances are more likely to report suicidal thoughts than those who don't abuse.
The relative lack of stigma surrounding suicide in Japan is fascinating. Does that mean the Japanese have higher rates of suicide than western cultures?
