Attitudes of Elderly Koreans toward Suicide: a Q-Methodological Approach / 간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the types of suicide attitudes among the Korean elderly. METHOD: The Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used. Thirty-four selected Q-statements from 38 subjects were classified into a shape of normal distributionusing a 9 point scale. The collected data was analyzed using a QUANL PC program. RESULT: Three types of suicide attitudes for research subjects in Korean elderly were identified. Type I is understanding suicide-self conquest and labor type, Type II is opposing suicide-family band foundation type, and Type III is sympathizing with suicide-painful situation escaping type. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that different approaches of suicide prevention programs are recommended based on the three types of suicide attitudes among Korean elderly.