Employment status and suicide risk: The role of problem-solving, social support, and attribution style

Suicide is a serious public health problem that interests many, and unemployment is one of the predictors of suicide risk among most age groups. The relationship between unemployment and suicide risk has been investigated for many years, yet the protective factors seem relatively understudied. The present study investigated the role of social problem-solving skills, perceived social support, and attribution style to unemployment in the relationship between suicide risk in the unemployed. Data were collected from 576 Turkish participants (243 employed and 333 unemployed) through an online survey. All participants were consenting adults above 18 years of age who are either full-time employed or unemployed and looking for a job. The demographic form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Social Problem-Solving Inventor (SPSI), Attribution of Unemployment Scale (AUS), and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were used to collect in the data collection process. Hayes' PROCESS Macro Model 5 was used to test the association between variables. Results indicated that unemployment status significantly predicted higher suicide risk, lower perceived social support, and inadequate problem-solving skills. Perceived social support and social problem-solving skills mediated the relationship between employment status and suicide risk. Attribution style was expected to moderate the relationship between employment status and suicide risk; however, the data did not support this anticipation. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that perceived social support and problem- solving skills can be protective factors against suicide risk in the unemployed population.