Effect of female labor force participation on female suicide attitudes

Abstract

Previous research on the correlates of suicide attitudes has neglected gender-specific analysis, in particular, the influence of female participation in the labor force (FPLF) on female suicide attitudes. The present study explores the impact of FPLF on female suicide attitudes using a national sample of 5,559 women. While a significant bivariate relationship is found, once controls are added for its covariates, FPLF is not related to female suicide attitudes. These findings are related to the debate between the role conflict and role expansionist theory of FPLF and female suicidal behavior. A separate analysis for men suggests that men and women follow the same general etiology of suicide attitudes.