Astrological Indicators for Suicide

GROUP DIFFERENCES IN ASTROLOGICAL INDICATORS OF SUICIDE

This study extended original work on astrological indicators for suicide conducted by Timins (1996). Specifically, the research examined whether astrological indicators could be use to successfully distinguish a number of gender-related differences in method of suicide that had been established by psychobehavioral research. Findings were not significant, and were explained as methodological artifact.

According to Berman and Jobes (1991), someone in the United States takes his or her own life every twenty or thirty minutes and more than 30,000 people kill themselves each year. This rate of 12.2 per 100,000 makes suicide one of the top ten causes of death in the industrialized world.

In addition, Bongar (1991) reports that suicide rates are believed to be 25 to 30 percent higher than recorded because many deaths that are officially recorded as accidental (e.g., single-auto crashes, drowning, falls from great heights) are actually suicides. These statistics highlight the importance of determining those factors or indicators that allow for better identification of people who are at increased risk of suicide.

Research has suggested that one indicator of the propensity to suicide is gender. In this regard, Diekstra (1990) reports that gender differences have been associated with differences in: a) the frequency with which suicide will be attempted; b) the frequency with which suicide

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d for testing: Hypothesis 1: The degree of indication for suicide by violent methods (hanging, jumping, stabbing, shooting) will be significantly higher in the natal charts of men than in the natal charts of women. Hypothesis 2: The degree of indication for suicide by non- violent methods (drugs, gases, drowning) will be significantly higher in the natal charts of women than in the natal charts of men. Procedures Data used in the study were drawn from Press' (1978) sample pool compiled for The New York Suicide Study. From this pool of 2,250 certified suicide records, 311 records were randomly selected. Birth times for all selected records were obtained from the Medical Examiners' Office of New York City. Of the 311 records drawn, the author analyzed only the first 200 charts using a time span of January 27, 1969 to April, 1972. These procedures were recommended by Press (1997) to avoid selection bias. The computation of astrological indication was made using Doane's (1979) formula for suicide: discordant Mars and a planet in the twelfth house or its rule discordant. All data were collected in the form of contact with degree of power. These contact points were scaled to ratio measurement through the Power of Energy

Category: Psychology - A