ABSTRACT

Historically, the literature on the treatment of suicidal behavior has not given explicit consideration to gender issues (e.g., Birtchnell, 1983; Kiev, 1975; R. S. Mintz, 1961; Moss & Hamilton, 1956; Salkovskis, Atha, & Storer, 1990). There are, however, several important reasons for considering the influence of gender in the treatment of suicidal individuals. First, women's patterns of suicidal behavior are different from those of men (Canetto, 1991 ; Canetto & Lester, in press). Second, reasons for suicidal behavior are often assumed to vary by gender (for reviews, see Canetto, 1992–93; Kushner, 1985; Kushner, in press). Third, gender has been recognized as having an impact on the dynamics of bookapy (Bograd, 1990; Brown, 1986, 1990; Hare-Mustin, 1987; Kaplan, 1979, 1987; Lerner, 1984; L. B. Mintz & O'Neil, 1990; Sherman, 1980; Wilcox & Forrest, 1992).