| Summary: | Is men’s suicidal behavior different from that of women’s? Much research has
been devoted to this question since the late 1980s. Scientific literature refers
to it as the “Gender Paradox”. This term was coined due to the seemingly
self-contradictory findings regarding the differences in suicidal behavior
between males and females, whereby women attempt suicide more often but more men
die by suicide. If there are indeed differences between the sexes, then it is
essential to modify the various suicide prevention programs accordingly. This
study aimed to investigate whether those differences are real and inherent to the
sexes. It attempted to gain a better understanding of the sources of those
differences and the reasons behind them by reviewing the available literature on
differences between males and females regarding, suicide and suicidal behaviors.
The study found that the differences between the sexes regarding suicidal
behavior are indeed inherent. Whether these differences associate more with
inheritance or genetics is unclear, as is whether they relate to the sex
differences or to gender identity. Clearly though, for effective suicide
prevention the differences between male and female suicidal behaviors have to be
acknowledged, studied separately and prevention and intervention programs have to
take these differences into account.
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