Gamliel Eyal, Levi-Belz Yossi
Behavioral Sciences Department,Ruppin Academic Center,Emek Hefer,Israel.
Head of Behavioral Sciences Department,Ruppin Academic Center,Emek Hefer,Israel.
Int Psychogeriatr. 2016 Aug;28(8):1383-90. doi: 10.1017/S1041610216000636. Epub 2016 Apr 21.
Global suicide rates among older adults are very high. Public attitudes towards older adults' suicide may affect older adults upon their contemplating such an act. Previous research has demonstrated that message framing affects persons' judgments and decision making. Thus, message framing may have particular significance in the context of attitudes towards end-of-life phenomena, such as physician-aided suicide. This study examined the possible role of ageism in moderating the effect of message framing on attitudes towards older adults' suicide.
Two studies examined the association between ageism and attitudes towards older adults' suicide. Study 1 assessed both variables by self-administered questionnaires; Study 2 further examined these variables, incorporating participants' responses to a suicide-related vignette, and evaluating the possible effect of message framing, using a between-participants design.
High-ageism participants expressed greater acceptance for older adults' suicide, whereas low-ageism participants expressed a less permissive approach to it (Study 1). In addition, ageism moderated the effect of message framing on attitudes towards older adults' suicide: High-ageism participants revealed a more permissive attitude towards older adults' suicide when the issue was presented in positive terms of not prolonging life, relative to a negative presentation of ending life; a similar effect was not found for low-ageism participants (Study 2).
The moderating effect of ageism on attitudes towards older adults' suicide has both theoretical and practical implications. We discuss these implications with respect to suicide prevention among older adults, and suggest future research.
老年人的全球自杀率非常高。公众对老年人自杀的态度可能会在老年人考虑这种行为时对其产生影响。先前的研究表明，信息框架会影响人们的判断和决策。因此，在对待诸如医生协助自杀等临终现象的态度背景下，信息框架可能具有特殊意义。本研究考察了年龄歧视在调节信息框架对老年人自杀态度影响方面的可能作用。
两项研究考察了年龄歧视与对老年人自杀态度之间的关联。研究1通过自填问卷评估这两个变量；研究2进一步考察了这些变量，纳入了参与者对一个与自杀相关的 vignette 的回答，并采用组间设计评估信息框架的可能影响。
高年龄歧视参与者对老年人自杀表现出更大的接受度，而低年龄歧视参与者则表现出对其更不宽容的态度（研究1）。此外，年龄歧视调节了信息框架对老年人自杀态度的影响：对于高年龄歧视参与者，当以不延长生命的积极表述呈现问题时，相对于以结束生命的消极表述，他们对老年人自杀表现出更宽容的态度；而低年龄歧视参与者未发现类似效果（研究2）。
年龄歧视对老年人自杀态度的调节作用具有理论和实践意义。我们就老年人自杀预防方面讨论了这些意义，并提出了未来的研究方向。
