Abstract
Religiosity is generally negatively associated with attitudes toward suicide. Religious individuals typically have more negative attitudes toward suicide than individuals with lower levels of religiosity. This is partly due to the belief that suicide goes against many religious teachings that revere life as a sacred gift from God. Hence, using a cross-sectional, predictive design, we aimed to investigate the link between religiosity and suicide attitudes and how much religiosity predicts different suicide attitudes. Using non-probability convenience sampling, 1148 Filipino participants aged 18–65 completed an online test battery: Centrality of Religiosity Scale Interreligious form-20 and Attitudes Toward Suicide Scale. Results revealed that religiosity is significantly associated with and predicts eight suicide-related attitudes, namely, suicide as a right, incomprehensibility, preventability, tabooing, normal-common, suicidal process, preparedness to prevent, and resignation. These results indicate that religiosity primarily negatively predicts certain attitudes toward suicide among Filipinos. Our findings reveal the critical role that religiosity plays in Filipinos' attitudes toward suicide, which may have significant implications for preventing and understanding suicidality in the Philippines.
Bahasa Abstract
Secara umum, religiusitas berhubungan negatif dengan sikap terhadap bunuh diri. Penelitian menemukan bahwa individu yang religius biasanya memiliki sikap yang lebih negatif terhadap bunuh diri dibandingkan individu dengan tingkat religiositas yang lebih rendah; hal ini sebagian disebabkan oleh keyakinan bahwa bunuh diri bertentangan dengan banyak ajaran agama yang memandang kehidupan sebagai anugerah suci dari Tuhan. Oleh karena itu, dengan menggunakan desain prediktif cross-sectional, kami bertujuan untuk menyelidiki hubungan antara religiusitas dan sikap terhadap bunuh diri serta sejauh mana religiusitas dapat memprediksi berbagai sikap terhadap bunuh diri. Dengan menggunakan non-probability convenience sampling, 1.148 partisipan Filipina berusia 18 hingga 65 tahun menyelesaikan serangkaian tes daring: Centrality of Religiosity Scale Interreligious Form-20 dan Attitudes Toward Suicide Scale. Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa religiositas secara signifikan berhubungan dengan dan memprediksi delapan sikap terhadap bunuh diri, yaitu: Bunuh Diri sebagai Hak, Ketidakpahaman, Dapat Dicegah, Tabu, Normal-Biasa, Proses Bunuh Diri, Kesiapan Mencegah, dan Penerimaan. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa religiositas terutama memprediksi negatif sikap tertentu terhadap bunuh diri di kalangan masyarakat Filipina. Hasil penelitian kami mengungkap peran kritis religiositas dalam membentuk sikap orang Filipina terhadap bunuh diri, yang mungkin memiliki implikasi signifikan dalam upaya pencegahan dan pemahaman perilaku bunuh diri di Filipina.
References
Abdullah, M., Khalily, M. T., Ruocco, A. C., & Hallahan, B. (2023). Impulsivity, suicidal thoughts, psychological distress, and religiosity in adolescents and young adults. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 14, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1137651
Agaton, S. I. (2015). Morality and religiosity: A Filipino experience. Recoletos Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 3(2), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.32871/rmrj1503.02.07
Alvarado, G. M. (2019). Awareness of millennial undergraduate students of a private university in the Philippines on bioethical practices and issues. JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research, 38(1), 80–94. https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v38i1.725
Asih, D., Setini, M., Dharmmesta, B. S., & Purwanto, B. M. (2020). Religiosity and spirituality: Conceptualization, measurement, and its effect on frugality. Management Science Letters, 10(16), 4023–4032. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.7.007
Bandura, A. (1995). Social Foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
Batara, J. B. L. (2015). Overlap of religiosity and spirituality among Filipinos and its implications towards religious prosociality. International Journal of Research Studies in Psychology, 4(3). 3-21. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsp.2015.1090
Bazley, R., Pakenham, K. I., & Watson, B. M. (2019). Perspectives on suicide prevention amongst members of Christian Faith-Based organizations. Community Mental Health Journal, 55(5), 831–839. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0355-4
Burshtein, S., Dohrenwend, B. P., Levav, I., Werbeloff, N., Davidson, M., & Weiser, M. (2016). Religiosity as a protective factor against suicidal behaviour. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 133(6), 481–488. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12555
Chapple, A., Ziébland, S., & Hawton, K. (2015). Taboo and the different death? Perceptions of those bereaved by suicide or other traumatic death. Sociology of Health and Illness, 37(4), 610–625. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12224
Cwik, J. C., Till, B., Bieda, A., Blackwell, S. E., Walter, C., & Teismann, T. (2017). Measuring attitudes towards suicide: Preliminary evaluation of an attitude towards suicide scale. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 72, 56–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.09.008
Dela Peña, M., Prieto, M. L., Hartigan-Go, K., Aristorenas, L., & Daowan, B. (2024). Mental Health in the Philippines: A Policy Challenge. Social Science Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4882382
Del Castillo, F., Del Castillo, C. D., Aliño, M. A., Nob, R. M., Ackert, M., & Ching, G. S. (2020). Validation of the Interreligious Forms of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRSi-7, CRSi-14, and CRSi-20): Salience of religion among selected youth in the Philippines. Religions, 11(12), 641-655 https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11120641
Del Castillo, F., Del Castillo, C. D., Ching, G. S., Ackert, M., Aliño, M. A., & Nob, R. M. (2021). Validation of the Abrahamic Forms of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS-5, CRS-10, and CRS-15): Evidence from selected university students in the Philippines. Religions, 12(2), 84-97. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12020084
Ellis, L., Farrington, D. P., & Hoskin, A. W. (2019). Handbook of Crime Correlates (2nd ed.). Academic Press.
Eskin, M., Poyrazli, S., Janghorbani, M., Giovanni Carta, M., Tran, U. S., Mechri, A., Hamdan, M., Nawafleh, H., Sun, J.M., Flood, C., Yoshimasu, K., Kujan, O., Aidoudi, K., Bakkshi, S., Harlak, H., Moro, M.F., Khader, Y., Philips, L., & Shaheen, A. (2019). The role of religion in suicidal behavior, attitudes and psychological distress among university students: A multinational study. Transcultural Psychiatry. 56(5), 853-877. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461518823933
Estrada, C.A.M., Nonaka, D., Gregorio, E.R., Leynes, C., Del Castilo, R., Hernandez, P.M., Hayakawa, T., Kobayashi, J. (2019). Suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviors, and attitudes towards suicide of adolescents enrolled in the Alternative Learning System in Manila, Philippines—a mixed methods study. Trop Med Health 47(1), 22-40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-019-0149-6
Evenblij, K., Pasman, H.R.W., van der Heide, A. et al. Public and physicians’ support for euthanasia in people suffering from psychiatric disorders: a cross-sectional survey study. BMC Med Ethics 20(1), 62-72 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-019-0404-8
Gearing, R. E., & Alonzo, D. (2018). Religion and suicide: New findings. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(6), 2478–2499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943- 018-0629-8
Harrison, M. G., King, R. B., & Hocson, S. M. G. (2023). The roles of school counsellors in the Philippines: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 33(2), 161–174. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2023.4
Hechanova, M. R. M., & Regina, M. (2019). Development of community-based mental health interventions in the Philippines: An ecological perspective. Psychological Research on Urban Society, 2(1), 10-25. https://archium.ateneo.edu/psychology-faculty-pubs/104/
Hooley, J. M., Butcher, J. N., Nock, M., & Mineka, S. (2017). Abnormal Psychology (17th edition). Pearson Education Limited.
Hu, Y. (2024). Urbanization and its mental health implications in the Philippines. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 8(3), 376-380. https://doi.org/10.54097/5v9h5j41
Huber, S. M., & Huber, O. W. (2012). The Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS). Religions, 3(3), 710–724. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel3030710
Jia, L. (2021). Religions in the Philippines: History, culture and faith. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 2(7), 338–344. https://www.ijrpr.com/v2i7.php
Johnson, B. (2001). Toward a new classification of non-experimental quantitative research. Educational Researcher, 30(2), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x030002003
Jung, J. H., & Olson, D. V. (2014). Religion, stress, and suicide acceptability in South Korea. Social Forces, 92(3), 1039–1059. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sot129
Kodaka, M., Poštuvan, V., Inagaki, M., & Yamada, M. (2010). A systematic review of scales that measure attitudes toward suicide. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 55, 446–467. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009357399
Khazaei, S., Armanmehr, V., Nematollahi, S., Rezaeian,S., Khazaei S. (2017) Suicide rate in relation to the Human Development Index and other health related factors: A global ecological study from 91 countries. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 7(2), 131–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2016.12.002
Knizek, B. L., Osafo, J., Mugisha, J., Kinyanda, E., Akotia, C., & Hjelmeland, H. (2021). Religion as meaning-making resource in understanding suicidal behavior in Ghana and Uganda. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.549404
Lawrence, R. E., Oquendo, M. A., & Stanley, B. (2016). Religion and suicide risk: A systematic review. Archives of suicide research: Official Journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 20(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2015.1004494
Lee, H., Rhee, S. J., Kim, M. J., Park, C. H., Yang, J. H., Son, K., Park, J., & Ahn, Y. M. (2023). Shifting attitudes toward suicide over time: A latent profile analysis using the Korea National Suicide Survey. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1124318
Lie, H., & Liou, J.C. (2012). Suicide behavior among junior high school students in the Philippines and Indonesia associated with the social factors. GSTF Journal of BioSciences, 2(1), 92-97. https://doi.org/10.5176/2251-3140_2.1.28
Maier, C., Thatcher, J. B., Grover, V., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2023). Cross-sectional research: A critical perspective, use cases, and recommendations for IS research. International Journal of Information Management, 70, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102625
Mason, K. (2021). Suicide Stigma in Christian Faith Communities: A Qualitative Study. Religions, 12(7), 540-556. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12070540
Mason, K., Rynbrandt, B., Capehart, K., Rando, A., Dokopoulos, S., & O’Shell, D. (2024). Suicide Risks and Protections in Religious Communities: Two Exploratory Studies. Religions, 15(9), 1118-1150. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091118
McTavish, J. (2016). Justice and health care: When “ordinary” is extraordinary. The Linacre Quarterly, 83(1), 26–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/00243639.2015.1123891.
Meyer, C. L., Irani, T. H., Hermes, K. A., & Yung, B. Suicide Motivated by Interpersonal Relationships. Explaining Suicide. (pp 51-71). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809289-7.00003-8. Elsevier Inc.
Myers, D.G. & Twenge, J.M. (2016). Social Psychology. 12th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Newman, L. L. (2004). Faith, spirituality, and religion: A model for understanding the differences. College Student Affairs Journal, 23(2), 102–110. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ956981.pdf
Ormrod, J. E. (2018). Human learning. Pearson.
Owen, G., Belam, J., Lambert, H., Donovan, J., Rapport, F., & Owens, C. (2012). Suicide communication events: Lay interpretation of the communication of suicidal ideation and intent. Social Science & Medicine, 75(2), 419–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.02.058
Peña, M. D., Prieto, M. L., Hartigan-Go, K., Aristorenas, L., & Daowan, B. (2024). Mental health in the Philippines: A policy challenge. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4882382
Pitman, A., Nesse, H., Morant, N., Azorina, V., Stevenson, F., King, M., & Osborn, D. (2017). Attitudes to suicide following the suicide of a friend or relative: A qualitative study of the views of 429 young bereaved adults in the U.K. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1). 400-411. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1560-3
Pompili, M., Murri, M. B., Patti, S., Innamorati, M., Lester, D., Girardi, P., & Amore, M. (2016). The communication of suicidal intentions: A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 46(11), 2239–2253. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291716000696
Poorolajal, J., Goudarzi, M., Gohari-Ensaf, F., & Darvishi, N. (2022). Relationship of religion with suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempt, and suicide death: A Meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Health Sciences, 22(1), e00537. https://doi.org/10.34172/jrhs.2022.72
Psychological Association of the Philippines. (2024, February 28). #YourPAP is taking an active role in response to SB 1669 or the Youth Suicide Prevention Act of 2022 #PAPCares [Image Attached] [Position Paper]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/PAPIncorporated/posts/pfbid0JmqZuo1SNdxeEwMneat137nAboTcCe1xtAHimnJmbvnmryHxje5J4LovKLEKbs6hl
Quintos, M. A. (2018). The relationship between religion and suicide risk among the Filipino youth: A study using a nationally representative sample. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences, 5(2), 79–88. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326668276_The_Relationship_between_Religion_and_Suicide_Risk_among_the_Filipino_Youth_A_study_using_a_nationally_representative_sample
Renberg, E. S., & Jacobsson, L. (2003). Development of a questionnaire on Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS) and its application in a Swedish Population. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33(1), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.1521/suli.33.1.52.22784.
Solomon, P. & Peterson, S. (2020). Religion and suicide: The consequences of a secular society. Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies, 37(6). 53-87. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sigma/vol37/iss1/6
Stecz, P. (2021). Psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire on Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS) in Poland. Current Psychology, 40(5), 2528–2542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00185-1
Tanaka, C., Tuliao, M. T. R., Tanaka, E., Yamashita, T., & Matsuo, H. (2018). A qualitative study on the stigma experienced by people with mental health problems and epilepsy in the Philippines. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1). 325-338. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1902-9
Thimmaiah, R., Poreddi, V., Ramu, R., Selvi, S., & Math, S. B. (2016). Influence of religion on attitude towards suicide: An Indian Perspective. Journal of Religion & Health, 55(6), 2039–2052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016- 0213-z
Udengwu, N. & Ukonu, M. (2022). Influences of social integrative factors on perception of suicide among university students in Southeast Nigeria. Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. 14(4). 1-16. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v14n4.07.
University of the Philippines Population Institute. (2022, October 10). Pinoy youth in worse mental shape today, nationwide survey indicates [Press release]. https://www.uppi.upd.edu.ph/news/2022/pinoy-youth-in-worse-mental-health- shape-today
Van Niekerk, b., 2018, ‘Religion and spirituality: What are the fundamental differences?’. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 74(3), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v74i3.4933
Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-Sectional studies. CHEST Journal, 158(1), S65–S71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2020.03.012
World Health Organization. (2021). Suicide Worldwide in 2019: Global Health Estimates.
Yacat, J. (2013). Filipino psychology (sikolohiyang Pilipino). In Keith, K.D. (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Cross‐Cultural Psychology (pp. 551-556). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Recommended Citation
Reyes, M. S., Daluping, T. C., Dela Cruz, O. S., Estremadura, S. A., Gavino, J. D., Villanueva, E. G., & Jacob, A. L. (2025). Religiosity and Attitudes toward Suicide Among Filipinos. Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia, 29(2), 62-77. https://doi.org/10.7454/hubs.asia.v29.i2.1551