The Influence of Traditional Culture and the Interpersonal Psychological Theory on Suicide Research in Korea

Korea has the highest suicide rate amongst the OECD countries. Yet, its research on suicidal behaviors has been primitive. While the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide has gained global attention, there has only been a few researches, which examined its applicability in Korea. In this article, we review the previous studies on suicide and examine the association between the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide and traditional Korean culture, with an emphasis on Collectivism and Confucianism. We propose that pathways to suicide might vary depending on cultural influences. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research will be discussed.

Evaluation of a Functional Model of Acquired Capability for Suicide in a Nationwide Sample of Korean Adults

OBJECTIVE: We examined a functional model of acquired capability for suicide, which was elaborated from the “Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide”. METHODS: A total of 6,027 Korean community subjects were recruited from The Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study conducted in 2011. The subjects were assessed systematically using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 2.1, the Korean version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and the Korean version of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. We used structural equation modeling to identify potential factors contributing to a suicide attempt. RESULTS: Most aspects of the model were supported by the data and “the short-term enhancer for the acquired capability for suicide” had direct effects on suicide attempts. However, the suicidal planning effects of “the short-term enhancer for the acquired capability for suicide” were eliminated by the rule of parsimony. CONCLUSION: The main finding was that “the short-term enhancer for the acquired capability for suicide” is relevant to suicide attempts when it's direct, indirect, and reciprocal effects are tested within a more complete system of relationships than found in existing studies. The implications of these findings are discussed with regard to future conceptual work and empirical research.