Crisis
Volume 27, Issue 4, 2006, Pages 181-188

Gender and cultural patterns of suicidal behavior: Young Hindustani immigrant women in The Netherlands (Article)

Van Bergen D.D.* , Smit J.H. , Kerkhof A.J.F.M. , Saharso S.
  • a Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • b Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Survey Methodology, Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Netherlands
  • c Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • d Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

Patterns of suicidal behavior vary among cultures and along gender. Young Hindustani immigrant women attempt suicide four times more often than young Dutch women. This article explores multi-disciplinary explanations for suicidal behavior in this group. The interconnection of Durkheimian concepts of social integration and regulation with ecological insights into family relations and psychological and psychiatric theories on individual distress are relevant. It is suggested that young Hindustani women who display suicidal behavior possess certain personality and cognitive constellations that are interlocked with specific parenting styles in stressful family environments. These families are embedded in a context of moral transformations resulting from migration to a Western culture and may be facing difficulties accompanying the transitional processes encountered in the West, particularly those regarding gender roles. Durkheimian fatalistic and anomic suicides elucidate this. The Hindustani women who appear most at risk are those facing contradictory norms and overregulation, which prevent them from developing autonomy. © 2006 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Author Keywords

Hindustani (Indian) immigrant females Research traditions suicidal behavior Gender Ethnicity

Index Keywords

male Netherlands cultural anthropology female Culture Suicide, Attempted Emigration and Immigration Humans India ethnology statistics Article human adult Social Environment migration suicide attempt
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33846252755&doi=10.1027%2f0227-5910.27.4.181&partnerID=40&md5=51890ad8fd8458e257abd424bc16847a
DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910.27.4.181
ISSN: 02275910
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English