The Role of Self-Directed Disgust in Males who have Attempted Suicide
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Qualitative Examination into the role of Self-Directed Disgust in Males who have Attempted Suicide. A Grounded Theory Approach.
IRAS ID
256996
Contact name
John Fox
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 5 days
Research summary
A Qualitative Examination into the role of Self-Directed Disgust in Males who have Attempted Suicide. A Grounded Theory Approach.
Men are at a greater risk of suicide. Research has found that suicide risk factors include depression, feelings of hopelessness and isolation which, when triggered by stress, can result in suicide attempts. Male suicide is described as a complex topic that warrants further research.
Disgust is a powerful emotion and is linked to a range of mental health difficulties. Disgust directed inwards has been investigated to consider its role in mental illness and emotional difficulties. This emotion, called self-disgust, has been found to be associated with a range of mental health problems, however this emotion has not been researched in relation to male suicide. The current project aims to research if, and how, self-disgust plays a role in male suicide.
Males that have previously attempted suicide and are currently working with Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) in two Welsh health boards will approached to take part in the study. Individuals will also be recruited through charities. The Samaritans (Registered Charity number 219432) and Sefyll (a service user network for individuals living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, forming part of Cardiff and Vale Action for Mental Health; Registered Charity number 1148312), will help promote the project through their social media platforms, websites and newsletters.
Individuals agreeing to take part will complete three questionnaires and an interview to gain an in-depth understanding of their history of suicide and views around self-disgust. The interviews will then be analysed using Grounded Theory, a method of analysis which aims to see whether, and in what way, self-disgust is a common theme across the men who took part in the project.
If self-disgust is found to be associated with male suicide this may have implications in the assessment and treatment of males who experience suicidal thoughts. Additionally, it may encourage future research into the area.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
19/WA/0025
Date of REC Opinion
25 Feb 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion