Attitudes on Aging and Perceptions of Late-Life Suicide among Younger and Older Adults: A Test of the Cultural Scripts Model

Introduction. Suicide is a major public health concern among older adults. An important and emerging area of study concerns perspectives, attitudes, and cultural beliefs about suicide in later life. This study examined perspectives of younger and older adults on late-life suicide using the cultural scripts model, which proposes that suicidal behavior is more likely in contexts where it is culturally permissible. Method. Using a cross-sectional research design, younger adults (N = 376) and older adults (N = 70) read a fictional obituary of an older adult who died by suicide. Participants rated 10 potential precipitants and eight protective factors and completed measures of age stereotype, age distancing, suicidality, and reasons for living. Results. Among older adults, acceptability of late-life suicide was associated with age distancing (r = .30). Age stereotyping was associated with suicidality (r = .58), age distancing (r = .68), and acceptability of late-life suicide (r = .37). Compared to older adults, younger adults rated five precipitants as more likely to lead to suicide- family discord, employment change/retirement, relationship dissolution, social isolation, and terminal illness in a relative. Younger adults also agreed more with the decedent’s decision to die by suicide on ratings for six precipitants- family discord, death of a close relative, employment change/retirement, relationship dissolution, social isolation, and terminal illness in a relative. In contrast, older adults expressed greater agreement only in the context of severe health problems. Regarding protectants, older adults rated one protectant (financial resources) as more likely to prevent suicide and showed greater agreement with the decision not to die by suicide for three protectants- participation in religious activities, financial resources, and medical treatment for non-psychological illness. Discussion. Age cohort was associated with differences in interpretations of late-life suicide, supporting the value of the cultural scripts model for understanding age-related differences in suicide perceptions. Greater attention to age-related suicide scripts, particularly those that normalize suicide in the context of aging and illness, should be considered as part of comprehensive late-life suicide prevention efforts.