Suicide motives: comparison of assignment of motives by coroners and psychologists.

Abstract

The accuracy of information contained in coroners' records of suicide obviously affects the validity of data reported in ex post facto suicide studies. The reliability of coroner-assigned suicide motives has been questioned by Shneidman and Farberow (1961) on the basis that coroners' investigators lack sophistication in behavioral research methodology. Andress (1976) suggested that coroners tend to over-assign the motive of Depression/Despondency because they view suicide as a symptom of depression. The present study compared coroner- and psychologist-assigned motives in 166 suicides committed in Riverside County, California between January, 1973 and June, 1974. A Spearman's rank-order correlation of .81 between motives assigned by coroners and psychologists was obtained. Depression was assigned by coroners significantly more often than by the psychologists. The psychologists assigned marital difficulties and sexual problems significantly more often than did coroners. Because of a high percentage of interobserver agreement, it is suggested that more confidence in coroner-assigned motives may be warranted.