A Discussion of the Value of Cross-Cultural Studies in Search of the Meaning(s) of Suicidal Behavior and the Methodological Challenges of Such Studies

Abstract

The main purposes of this study was to test the psychometric properties of a questionnaire on attitudes towards suicide in a cross-cultural setting, and to discuss the value of cross-cultural studies in the search of meaning(s) of suicidal behavior as well as the methodological challenges encountered in such studies. Data on attitudes towards suicide among health and social science students from Norway and Uganda were employed to illustrate the points made. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed different factor structures in the two countries. Whether this result is due to different latent variables indicating differences in meaning(s) of suicidal behavior between the two countries or lack of reliability and/or validity of the instrument is discussed.