(PS9-B31) Differences Between Measurements of Subjective Social Status in Association with Suicide-related Beliefs

Introduction: Individuals may consider suicide to escape an untenable life situation or psychological pain, and beliefs about suicide as a solution to life’s problems have been linked to suicide (Gunn, 2015; Linehan et al., 1987). One of the predictors of suicide is subjective social status (SSS) (Madigan & Daly, 2023; Operario et al., 2004). The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status, wherein a person selects a rung on the ladder where they see themselves relative to others, is a common measure of SSS.  The MacArthur Scale uses two types of SSS ratings: with one’s community as a referent and with one’s country as a referent (Cundiff et al., 2013). Most studies using the MacArthur Scale use only one of these referents (usually country; e.g., Demakakos et al., 2008; Operario et al., 2004; Talavera et al., 2018). In this study, our aim was to investigate whether two different SSS metrics are differentially related to beliefs about suicide, and whether there are cultural differences in these associations.  

Method: Participants were N = 17,194 individuals recruited via Google Ads to a worldwide quintilingual (English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic) depression/suicide screening site (Leykin et al., 2012). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, SSS (both country and community), MDE Screener (Muñoz et al., 1998), and the Suicidal Behavior Questionaire (Linehan, 1990), which included 3 questions regarding suicide-related beliefs (the degree to which suicide is a good solution to problems, a good way out if quality of life continues to be the same, and a good solution if quality of life declines).

Results: Controlling for age, gender, education, and presence of depression, both the country- and community-referenced SSS were strongly related to all three beliefs about suicide (p < .001), with lower SSS related to stronger beliefs that suicide would solve problems overall and if quality of life would stay the same or worsen. Compared to the country-referenced SSS, community-referenced SSS had a significantly stronger relationship to all three beliefs (p < .001). In subsequent analyses, broad cultural groups (Latin America, China, Soviet Bloc, South Asia, Arab World, Western English-speakers; see Goodmann et al., 2021) were used as a moderators for the differences in relationships between the types of SSS and suicide-related beliefs. Cultural groups moderated the differential strength of relationships between the types of SSS and two of the three beliefs: suicide as overall solution for problems and solution with stable quality of life. For instance, in the Latin America group, there was a stronger relationship for community-referenced SSS and beliefs about whether suicide would solve problems overall and stable quality of life (p = .001 and p = .002, respectively).

Conclusions: The results suggest that the decision to use country versus community as reference for SSS may influence the results, especially in the context of suicidality. Furthermore, cultural differences may play an important role in selecting the appropriate reference for SSS, perhaps because different cultures may consider different reference points regarding one’s social position, including in relation to thinking about suicide as a solution.