Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS)
Usage: Permission required
The Stigma of Suicide Scale is designed to assess stigmatising attitudes of general community members toward people who suicide. It has both a long and a short form. The long form consists of 58 items and the short form consists of 16 items. Each item consists of a one-word descriptor of a person who dies by suicide. A person completes the scale by rating how much they agree with each item being a descriptor of someone who takes their own life. Each item is to be rated on a 5-point Likert scale from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. Higher scores indicate higher levels of stigma towards people who suicide. The Stigma of Suicide Scale has three subscales: stigma, isolation/depression, and glorification/normalization.
Short form
Using the scale below, please rate how much you agree with the descriptions of people who take their own lives (suicide). In general, people who suicide are . . .
Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Agree |
Strongly agree |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stigma | |||||
Pathetic | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Shallow |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Immoral | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
An embarrasment | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Irresponsible | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Stupid | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Cowardly | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Vengeful | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Isolation/ Depression | |||||
Lonely | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Isolated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Lost | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Disconnected | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Glorification/ Normalisation | |||||
Strong | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Brave | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Noble | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Dedicated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Norms and psychometric properties
Internal consistency
SOSS overall α = 0.70*
SOSS Stigma Subscale α = 0.88*, 0.89**
SOSS Isolation/ Depression Subscale α = 0.80*, 0.78**
SOSS Glorification/ Normalization Subscale α = 0.78*, 0.82**
Convergent validity
SOSS Stigma Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Stigma Subscale: r = -0.66, p < .05*
SOSS Isolation/ Depression Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Isolation Subscale: r = -0.37, p < .05*
SOSS Glorification/ Normalization Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Acceptability Subscale: r = -0.35, p < .05*
(Negative correlations due to scales coded in opposite directions)
Construct validity
SOSS Stigma Subscale correlation with Depression Stigma Scale: r = -0.46, p < .001**
* a sample of 676 university staff and students from the Australian National University.
** A community sample of 1286 Australians aged over 18 years.
Key references
Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., Christensen, H. (2013)Correlates of Suicide Stigma and Suicide Literacy in the Community. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviour; 43: 406-417.
Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., Christensen, H.(2013) The Stigma of Suicide Scale: Psychometric properties and correlates of the stigma of suicide. Research Trends; 34, 13-21.
Long form
Using the scale below, please rate how much you agree with the descriptions of people who take their own lives (suicide). In general, people who suicide are . . .
Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Agree |
Strongly agree |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stigma | |||||
Punishing others | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Selfish | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Hurtful | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Reckless | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Weak | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Irresponsible | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Attention-seeking | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Cowardly | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Senseless | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Ignorant | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Unfair | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Unjustifiable | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Stupid | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Cruel |
□ |
□ | □ | □ | □ |
A burden | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Strange | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Unnatural | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Failures | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Shallow | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Shameful | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Pathetic | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Vengeful | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Violent | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Unforgiveable | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
An embarrasment | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Arrogant | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Immoral | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Useless | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Lazy | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Barbaric | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Evil |
□ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Isolation/ Depression | |||||
Unhappy | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Depressed | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
In pain | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Sad | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Hurt | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Disconnected | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Lost | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Isolated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Lonely | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Miserable | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Trapped | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Alienated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Broken | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Cutoff | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Withdrawn | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Disturbed | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Glorification/ Normalization | |||||
Understandable | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Committed | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Brave | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Motivated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Rational | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Realistic | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Strong | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Dedicated | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Powerful | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Fearless | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Noble | □ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
Norms and psychometric properties
Internal consistency
SOSS overall α = 0.90
SOSS Stigma Subscale α = 0.95
SOSS Isolation/ Depression Subscale α = 0.88
SOSS Glorification/ Normalization Subscale α = 0.86
Convergent validity
SOSS Stigma Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Stigma Subscale: r = -0.682, p < .05*
SOSS Isolation/ Depression Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Isolation Subscale: r = -0.467, p < .05*
SOSS Glorification/ Normalization Subscale correlation with Suicide Opinion Questionnaire Acceptability Subscale: r = -0.451, p < .05*
(Negative correlations due to scales coded in opposite directions)
Norms
Percentage of people agreeing or strongly agreeing with each item and mean score (standard deviation).
% |
M (SD) |
% |
M (SD) |
||
Stigma items |
Isolation/Depression items |
||||
Punishing others |
39.50 |
3.11 (1.06) |
Unhappy |
94.80 |
4.37 (0.61) |
Selfish |
38.30 |
3.03 (1.12) |
Depressed |
94.20 |
4.50 (0.67) |
Hurtful |
33.00 |
2.87 (1.08) |
In pain |
93.60 |
4.41 (0.62) |
Reckless |
32.40 |
2.97 (0.99) |
Sad |
90.80 |
4.19 (0.64) |
Weak |
26.90 |
2.77 (1.06) |
Hurt |
90.70 |
4.16 (0.66) |
Irresponsible |
24.90 |
2.77 (1.04) |
Disconnected |
89.50 |
4.23 (0.72) |
Attention-seeking |
22.00 |
2.56 (1.12) |
Lost |
89.10 |
4.20 (0.71) |
Cowardly |
21.30 |
2.53 (1.14) |
Isolated |
86.80 |
4.18 (0.73) |
Senseless |
20.60 |
2.71 (0.97) |
Lonely |
86.70 |
4.19 (0.73) |
Ignorant |
19.80 |
2.58 (1.06) |
Miserable |
84.20 |
4.17 (0.80) |
Unfair |
19.10 |
2.71 (0.91) |
Trapped |
84.00 |
4.00 (0.74) |
Unjustifiable |
14.50 |
2.51 (0.94) |
Alienated |
82.70 |
4.05 (0.88) |
Stupid |
12.90 |
2.25 (1.06) |
Broken |
76.80 |
3.91 (0.92) |
Cruel |
12.60 |
2.24 (1.00) |
Cutoff |
74.40 |
3.84 (0.82) |
A burden |
12.40 |
2.21 (1.05) |
Withdrawn |
67.30 |
3.75 (0.82) |
Strange |
10.80 |
2.40 (0.92) |
Disturbed |
61.20 |
3.61 (1.01) |
Unnatural |
10.50 |
2.30 (0.98) |
|
||
Failures |
9.80 |
1.91 (1.04) |
Glorification/Normalization items |
||
Shallow |
9.00 |
2.20 (0.94) |
Understandable |
35.80 |
3.08 (0.97) |
Shameful |
8.60 |
2.12 (1.00) |
Committed |
15.40 |
2.62 (0.94) |
Pathetic |
8.10 |
2.00 (0.93) |
Brave |
14.30 |
2.21 (1.10) |
Vengeful |
7.50 |
2.21 (0.92) |
Motivated |
10.40 |
2.44 (0.87) |
Violent |
6.80 |
2.17 (0.87) |
Rational |
7.00 |
2.27 (0.85) |
Unforgivable |
6.40 |
2.01 (0.91) |
Realistic |
6.70 |
2.26 (0.84) |
An embarrassment |
6.10 |
1.74 (0.93) |
Strong |
6.20 |
2.22 (0.90) |
Arrogant |
4.70 |
1.97 (0.88) |
Dedicated |
5.90 |
2.44 (0.83) |
Immoral |
4.60 |
1.87 (0.89) |
Powerful |
4.00 |
2.11 (0.84) |
Useless |
4.00 |
1.85 (0.86) |
Fearless |
3.10 |
1.89 (0.84) |
Lazy |
3.30 |
1.96 (0.85) |
Noble |
1.90 |
2.03 (0.81) |
Barbaric |
2.40 |
1.72 (0.82) |
|
||
Evil |
0.70 |
1.35 (0.65) |
|
Based on a sample of 676 university staff and students from the Australian National University.
Key references
Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., Christensen, H. (2013) The Stigma of Suicide Scale: Psychometric properties and correlates of the stigma of suicide. Research Trends; 34, 13-21.