Deck 17: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior

Question 1

The highest suicide rates in the United States in 2015 were found among:

A)Individuals 45-54 years of age and those 85 years of age or older
B)Adolescents and young adults
C)Young adults and middle adults
D)Individuals 15-24 years of age
E)Individuals 65-74 years of age

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Data on suicide may be inaccurate because __________.

A)the deceased person's intention is unclear
B)family members resist attempts to label the death this way
C)some want to protect family members from guilt and stigma
D)All of these
E)None of these

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In 2015, the overall death rate for suicide in the U.S.:

A)Remained at 10.7 per 100,000 as in 1999
B)Was 13.8 per 100,000
C)Was 12.4 per 100,000 as in 1990
D)Increased greatly to 19.4 per 100,000
E)None of these

Answer 3

B

Question 4

One key need for every individual, which usually limits the risk of suicide when it is satisfied, is __________.

A)having integration in one's life
B)having a profession
C)having an education
D)having hobbies
E)having social graces

Question 5

During the decade of the 1990s, suicide had been the eighth or ninth leading cause of death in the United States; in 2015 suicide:

A)Remained the eighth leading cause of death
B)Became the tenth leading cause of death
C)Declined to only the seventh leading cause of death
D)Rose to the 11^th leading cause of death
E)Advanced to the 12^th leading cause of death

Question 6

Suicide rates in the United States in 2015 were highest among:

A)Caucasian Americans
B)African Americans
C)Hispanic Americans
D)Asian Americans
E)Native Americans

Question 7

According to Durkheim, egoistic suicide is associated with __________.

A)a condition of underregulation of individuals by society
B)a condition of excessive regulation by society
C)a condition of overinvolvement or overintegration of an individual in his or her society
D)a condition of underinvolvement or underintegration of an individual in his or her society
E)a condition called "anomie"

Question 8

In the U.S. in 2015, firearms were the main means used in __________.

A)under 12 percent of completed suicides
B)approximately 23 percent of completed suicides
C)35 percent of all completed suicides
D)almost half of all completed suicides
E)slightly less than 69 percent of all completed suicides

Question 9

Sigmund Freud provided a psychological explanation in which suicide is seen as

A)essentially a cognitive problem involving negative evaluations of the self
B)a kind of behavior in which a child has learned to express aggression outward
C)murder turned around 180 degrees
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 10

Among common patterns in U.S. suicidal behavior in 2015:

A)Men primarily use firearms to carry out a suicide.
B)Women primarily use firearms to carry out a suicide.
C)Men complete a suicide more frequently than women.
D)Women attempt a suicide more frequently than men.
E)All of these

Question 11

"Cries for help" on the part of a suicidal person should be __________.

A)ignored because they are so frustrating
B)addressed immediately
C)seen as merely attempts to get attention
D)viewed as signs that the person will not actually attempt suicide
E)referred to a psychologist

Question 12

Suicide is most simply defined as __________.

A)a kind of death
B)risk-taking behavior
C)life-threatening behavior
D)the unintentional ending of one's life
E)the intentional killing of oneself

Question 13

The completed suicides of Ernest Hemingway and Sylvia Plath differed most notably in __________.

A)courage versus cowardice
B)the ultimate outcome of the means each of them chose
C)their gender
D)deliberateness or intentionality
E)their nationality

Question 14

In 2015 in the United States, suicide was the second leading cause of death among:

A)Individuals 10-14 years of age
B)Individuals 15-24 years of age
C)Individuals 35-44 years of age
D)Individuals 65-74 years of age
E)Individuals 75-84 years of age

Question 15

How many deaths resulted from suicide in the United States in 2015?

A)Less than 16,000
B)22,000
C)Approximately 27,000
D)More than 34,000
E)A little more than 44,000

Question 16

Suicide rates in the United States in 2015 were highest in the:

A)New England region
B)Middle Atlantic region
C)District of Columbia
D)Mountain region
E)Pacific region

Question 17

The lowest rates of completed suicides in the United States in 2015 were found among:

A)15- to 24-year-olds
B)Those who are 85 years and older
C)Caucasian Americans
D)Males taken as a group
E)Females taken as a group

Question 18

Behavior that appears to involve a deliberate intention to end one's life is __________.

A)most frequently associated with leaving an explanatory note
B)highly individual in character
C)most often comprehensible in its motivations
D)typically explained by a note left behind by the person completing the suicide
E)consistent with widely-held values in our society

Question 19

An attempt to explain suicidal behavior as arising from inherited factors is __________.

A)a psychological explanation
B)a biological explanation
C)a sociological explanation
D)a Freudian explanation
E)None of these

Question 20

According to Freud, suicide is best explained __________.

A)through biological factors
B)in terms of the relationship between an individual and his or her society
C)as essentially cognitive in nature
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 21

According to Durkheim, when integration between an individual and a social group is too strong and it leads to the individual's suicide, this is an example of:

A)Altruistic suicide
B)Egoistic suicide
C)Anomic suicide
D)Animistic suicide
E)Fatalistic suicide

Question 22

According to Shneidman's ten commonalities of suicide, which of the following is true?

A)The common goal of suicide is unbearable psychological pain.
B)The common cognitive state is hopelessness-helplessness.
C)The common pattern in suicide is communication of intention.
D)The common purpose is ambivalence.
E)The common action is escape.

Question 23

For Durkheim, an example of an anomic condition that might lead to suicide is:

A)Economic dislocation, sudden dismissal from one's job
B)A Japanese samurai warrior who commits ritual seppuku
C)Eskimo abandonment of ill or elderly group members
D)Persons whose futures and passions are blocked or choked
E)All of these

Question 24

Rational suicide is said to be illegitimate because much suicidal behavior involves __________.

A)the absence of pain and suffering
B)individual autonomy and self-determination
C)disagreement with those who assist in the process
D)self-abnegation
E)depression

Question 25

Which of the following practical measures is not recommended for helping suicidal persons?

A)Listen to what these persons are saying.
B)Tell these persons that the crisis they think they are having is not really of much importance.
C)Stay with such persons until the crisis passes.
D)Point out alternative solutions to perceived problems.
E)Get them to talk about their actual plans.

Question 26

Those who argue on behalf of "rational suicide" often maintain that it differs from other acts of suicide because __________.

A)others may have the right to assist the suicidal person
B)it is lucid and appropriate
C)the person has the right to end his or her life
D)it is not illegal
E)All of these

Question 27

Survivors of suicides must cope with tasks related to __________.

A)the death of someone to whom one has been close
B)a death due to a non-natural cause
C)a death perceived to have been avoidable
D)a sudden death
E)All of these

Question 28

Behaviors of a suicidal person often include __________.

A)giving away of cherished objects
B)changes in sleeping patterns
C)changes in eating habits
D)having a period of calmness following agitation
E)All of these

Question 29

"Cluster" or "copycat" suicides are most often found in:

A)10- to 14-year-olds
B)15- to 19-year-olds
C)25- to 44-year-olds
D)Those who are 65 years of age and older
E)Native Americans

Question 30

Which of the following is not a "myth" about suicide?

A)People who talk about suicide do sometimes commit suicide.
B)Once one is suicidal, he or she will always be suicidal.
C)Psychological improvement after a crisis means that there is now no risk of suicide.
D)There is never a warning when a real suicide attempt is about to be made.
E)Suicidal persons are mentally ill.

Question 31

An example of an altruistic suicide is:

A)Killing oneself because of the end of an important relationship with another person
B)Killing oneself because social collapse to an inability to provide food for one's children
C)Killing oneself to hurt for a particular survivor
D)Killing oneself because one's society expects one to do so in the circumstances
E)None of these

Question 32

Shneidman argued that the key element in suicide is a triggering process, which is:

A)Inimicality
B)The idea of cessation
C). Perturbation
D)Constriction
E)Haplessness

Question 33

Researchers in the 1970s reported that a completed suicide by a family member often intensified survivors' experiences of __________.

A)inimicality, perturbation, and constriction
B)helplessness, hopelessness, and haplessness
C)integration and regulation
D)anger, sadness, and guilt
E)autonomy, ambivalence, and altruism

Question 34

According to Durkheim, "fatalistic" suicide stems from __________.

A)allowing freedom of expression
B)enforcing excessive regulations
C)maintaining secrecy
D)maintaining an open door policy
E)None of these

Question 35

According to Menninger, __________.

A)suicide is a very complex act
B)suicide is a simple, incidental, isolated act of impulsion
C)suicide is inexplicable
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 36

Claims on behalf of the legitimacy of rational suicide are generally founded on __________.

A)the absence of pain and suffering
B)individual autonomy and self-determination
C)disagreement with those who assist in the process
D)self-abnegation
E)the doctrine of inimicality

Question 37

A false statement about suicide is:

A)After once being suicidal, a person can still have a productive, happy life.
B)Most suicides occur within three months following a period of improvement.
C)Suicide runs in families and is inherited.
D)Most suicidal people are undecided about death/living.
E)Suicides occur across all levels of society.

Question 38

In intervening or helping a suicidal person, one should __________.

A)expect to prevent the suicide
B)assist the person to recognize options other than death
C)point out that suicide is immoral
D)show how trivial the person's problems really are
E)help the person develop "tunnel vision"

Question 39

Which of the following interventions would not be helpful for someone contemplating suicide?

A)Reduce his or her unbearable pain.
B)Contribute to enhanced feelings of hope.
C)Stall or play for time.
D)Encourage the person to be alone in order to focus on personal solutions to problems.
E)Investigate past coping strategies.

Question 40

Theorists say suicidal behavior is complex because it involves three central elements. These are:

A)Helplessness, hopelessness, and haplessness
B)Unhappiness, hopelessness, and haplessness
C)Depression, sadness, and despondency
D)Unfulfillment, ambivalence, and guilt
E)None of these

Question 41

Chapter 17 in the eighth edition of Death & Dying, Life & Living frequently stresses the complexities that are involved in suicidal behavior. Identify explain three reasons why suicidal behavior is complex. What should those who are trying to help individuals who are engaged in suicidal behavior learn from your account?

Question 42

Some sources contend that the number of deaths due to suicide might be at least twice the number actually recorded. What reasons might be given to support this claim?

Question 43

You suspect that a good friend is considering suicide. Provide a detailed response to both of the following issues.
a. Discuss several warning signs that lead you to believe your friend is considering suicide.
b. Describe what a good plan of action would be on your part to approach and help your friend. Be specific in your answers.

Question 44

Explain the concept of "rational suicide." Identify and explain one argument in favor of rational suicide and one argument against rational suicide.

Question 45

Discuss two lessons to be learned from the suicidal behavior of Sylvia Plath.

Question 46

Suppose it is true that numbers of actual deaths from suicide are significantly underreported.
What important implications follow from this?

Question 47

Discuss two lessons to be learned from the suicide of Ernest Hemingway.

Question 48

Answer both halves of this question.
a. Give two reasons why a death from suicide may complicate the grief of that person's survivors.
b. Explain why the following claim is called a "myth" about suicide: "People who talk about suicide do not commit suicide."

Question 49

Identify and explain any two (2)of the five religious perspectives given in Chapter 17 in the eighth edition of Death & Dying, Life & Living about the morality of (rational)suicide.

Question 50

Chapter 17 in the eighth edition of Death & Dying, Life & Living attempts to explain three major approaches (psychological, biological, and sociological)that try to explain or interpret suicidal behavior (why do people attempt or complete suicide?). Discuss thoroughly any two of these approaches.