Abstract :
Background Religion is associated with
lower rates of self-killing, but the mechanism underlying
religion-suicide association is not clear.To better understand
this relationship, the present study investigated
the impact of religious versus secular education
on suicidal ideation and attitudes towards suicide and a
suicidal close friend in Turkish adolescents. Deduced
from religious commitment, social integration, networking
and stigma perspectives, the study tested five
specific predictions. Method A questionnaire was used
to collect the data in a group of adolescents (n=206) undergoing
religious education and a group of adolescents
(n=214) undergoing secular education (N=420). Results
Suicide ideation was more frequent in adolescents
undergoing secular education than in those undergoing
religious education. The secular group was more accepting
of suicide than the religious group. Those from the
religious group, however, were more accepting of a suicidal
close friend than their secular counterparts. Conclusion
It seems that self-killing finds accepting attitudes
in secular segments of societies and,hence,people
consider self-killing as an option during times of personal
crises. People from religious communities, however,
seem not to accept self-killing as an option,but they
are more positive toward persons who have considered
suicide for one reason or another.
