Sociological and economic theories of suicide: a comparison of the U.S.A. and Taiwan.

Time-series analyses were carried out to explore the importance of sociological and economic variables in accounting for the suicide rate in the U.S.A. and in Taiwan for 1952-1984. Sociological variables (divorce and female labor force participation) played similar roles in the multiple regressions for both nations while economic variables (GNP per capita/growth and unemployment) played a role only in the U.S.A.