In most developed nations, dying by suicide is extra widespread in males than females, at round a thrice larger price (Lengvenyte et al, 2021; Turecki et al, 2019; Fazel et al, 2020). Regardless of the disparity in charges of suicide, analysis and subsequent interventions haven’t led to vital developments within the skill to foretell suicide, nor adequately intervene.
A evaluate of qualitative research from Bennett et al (2023, earlier Psychological Elf weblog) highlighted that understanding masculine norms could also be a key consider male suicide prevention. Inside this, interpersonal disconnection, isolation and loneliness, and interpersonal challenges and dysregulation have been highlighted as key themes that had been reported all through the literature. Many of those associated to relationship troubles or breakdowns. A second systematic evaluate, exploring these associations quantitatively, had related findings (Richardson et al, 2021, earlier Psychological Elf weblog) suggesting the absence or breakdown of a romantic relationship could also be a threat issue for future suicide threat.
This weblog summarises a latest systematic evaluate (Wilson et al, 2025) aiming to synthesise proof on associations between relationship breakdowns and the chance of suicidal ideation, suicidal try and dying by suicide in males.
Might relationship breakdowns be a threat issue for suicide in males?
Strategies
The authors used a number of databases (APA PsycInfo, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Net of Science, ProQuest Central) to seek for papers investigating suicidal ideation, tried suicide or dying by suicide in males following a relationship breakdown. Wilson et al looked for papers after the yr 2000 to discover modern proof. Searches have been up to date in October 2023 to make sure proof was updated.
Research have been included in the event that they met the next eligibility standards:
- Have been of any methodological technique or research design carried out in any nation
- Have been carried out in males (inclusive of transgender males) or had gender particular analyses
- Reported associations between indicators of relationship breakdown and suicidal ideation, suicide try, or dying by suicide
- Have been revealed in a peer-reviewed journal in English (unpublished literature not included in evaluate)
Two instruments have been used to evaluate the standard of the research included; one for quantitative strategies (Nationwide Coronary heart Lung and Blood Institute) and the opposite for qualitative research (Crucial Appraisal Abilities Programme). Full-text screening, knowledge extraction and research high quality have been carried out by one writer solely, with twin screening carried out for 30% of the entire information on the title and summary degree. Authors of every paper have been contacted to determine eligibility or present further knowledge, the place essential.
Three separate random-effects meta-analyses have been carried out, one for every final result (lifetime suicidal ideation, lifetime suicidal try, dying by suicide). Plenty of sub-group meta-analyses have been additionally carried out. Narrative synthesis was additionally used to explain the research, in addition to doable moderating variables investigated within the research.
The evaluate adopted related reporting tips and the protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO (CRD42022360410).
Outcomes
75 research (inhabitants = 106,719,740) met inclusion standards, with 29 research (inhabitants 103,732,942) having enough knowledge to be included within the meta-analysis. Research have been principally cross-sectional (43%) and utilised quantitative strategies (93%). Findings from every meta-analysis might be seen within the desk under:
| End result | Variety of research (impact estimates) | Outcomes |
| Suicidal Ideation | 5 (7) | Separated or divorced males have been 1.64 instances extra prone to report suicidal ideation relative to married males. Pooled odds of suicidal ideation amongst separated/divorced males in Asian cultures didn’t differ considerably from separated/divorced relative to married males in Western cultures. |
| Suicidal try | 8 (8) | Divorced males have been 1.73 instances extra prone to try suicide relative to married males. When taking a look at research that mixed divorced males and separated males, there was weak proof that the pooled odds of lifetime suicide try elevated in comparison with married males. While there was sturdy proof for affiliation when analyzing unadjusted estimates, there was weak proof for associations when together with simply estimates with adjustment for sociodemographic variables and no less than one indicator of psychiatric morbidity with odds attenuated in the direction of the null. Odds of suicide try amongst separated/ divorced versus married males didn’t differ between Asian and Western cultures. |
| Loss of life by suicide | 22 (56) | Divorced males have been 2.82 instances extra prone to die by suicide than married males. Compared to married males, youthful divorced males have been extra prone to die by suicide than older divorced males. Adjusting for a variety of confounders attenuated the associations for divorced males versus married males. Divorced males in Asian cultures have been 4.18 instances extra prone to die by suicide than married males, better than these of divorced males in Western cultures, who had 2.56 instances better odds of suicide. Separated males have been 4.82 instances extra prone to die by suicide relative to married males. Youthful separated males (≤34 years) exhibited over eight instances the percentages of suicide relative to their married counterparts. Separated males have been 1.96 instances extra prone to die by suicide relative to divorced males. |
Moreover, youthful age (≤34 years), lower than tertiary schooling, and lack of employment; the recency of relationship breakdown; and psychological elements together with loneliness and isolation, preexisting psychological sickness and underlying vulnerabilities, and disgrace and emotion dysregulation have been discovered to be doable moderating elements of the associations in a few of the research the authors recognized.
The out there proof suggests relationship breakdowns are related to suicidal behaviours in males.
Conclusions
The authors conclude that:
This research solidifies intimate relationship breakdown as a transparent vulnerability marker for suicide in males. Subgroups of males navigating relationship misery and dissolution seem to expertise a disproportionate probability of suicide, notably youthful and acutely separated males, alongside divorced males in Asian tradition.
They add that:
Finally, the tip of a relationship ought to by no means imply the tip of life, and the normative inevitability of relationship breakdown calls for consideration as an all too-common circumstance of suicides amongst males.
The top of a relationship ought to by no means imply the tip of a life.
Strengths and limitations
One of many main strengths of this evaluate is that they carried out a meta-analysis to synthesise the research findings, and that they did this for quite a few totally different sub-groups, though some did have restricted numbers, lowering the robustness of the proof.
Likewise, a energy of this evaluate is that it consists of papers of all methodology varieties, and doesn’t restrict to particular geographic areas. Nevertheless, it does prohibit to research solely written in English. Suicide charges are highest in low- and middle- earnings nations (World Well being Organisation, 2025), the place English is much less prone to be spoken, and by limiting to research in English, it’s probably papers have been missed from nations the place the burden of suicide is highest. The overwhelming majority of research included on this evaluate are from high-income nations; this will even be because of an absence of proof out there. While not a limitation of the evaluate however of the out there proof, there have been few research included on transgender males, and the function relationship breakdowns play in suicidal behaviors on this inhabitants.
As well as, just one writer carried out nearly all of the screening and extracting processes; it is strongly recommended that two reviewers do that to make sure all doable research are included. Due to this, some research might have been missed.
The evaluate principally consists of research from high-income nations, limiting the generalisability of those findings to different settings.
Implications for apply
This evaluate has highlighted the elevated threat of suicidal behaviours in males following a relationship breakdown, suggesting it might be an space for intervention growth and implementation. The authors supply implications for suicide prevention and future analysis.
Nevertheless, whether or not population-based approaches must be designed to deal with males in the entire inhabitants after they’ve suffered a relationship breakdown is questionable. How would they be recognized? How would they be focused? And would the profit outweigh the inevitable price of this method?
As a substitute, creating expertise and selling coping mechanisms and resilience for difficult elements of life may support in suicide prevention after a relationship breakdown, but additionally after many different vital life occasions. This might be supplied through school-based instructional programmes.
The evaluate additionally suggests normalising wholesome adjustment to relationship breakdown amongst males might be achieved by public well being campaigns, in addition to enhancing help-seeking behaviours on this inhabitants. If males do search assist submit relationship breakdown, clinicians and different healthcare suppliers must be conscious the chance this has for suicidal behaviours, and medical interventions might be developed for these situations.
When it comes to future analysis, the authors counsel additional exploring the moderating results of various variables, each quantitatively and qualitatively. This might enable for the identification of particular teams of males most in danger following a relationship breakdown, indicating teams that might be focused through interventions. The necessity for longitudinal knowledge to discover these interactions quantitatively is highlighted, alongside the necessity for qualitative research to know the complexity and variability of the analysis query. As well as, there was a transparent lack of proof (both because of availability or through the search technique) from low- and middle-income nations. The impression of relationship breakdowns could also be amplified in these nations as divorce and relationship breakdowns are sometimes extra stigmatised e.g. it’s unlawful within the Philippines, or because of better monetary insecurity in these settings, that means the breakdown has better sensible and emotional penalties. Stigma of psychological well being issues might additional cut back help-seeking behaviour in males highlighting the necessity for culturally-sensitive interventions.
How will males experiencing a relationship breakdown be recognized and focused in whole-population approaches? As a substitute, we must always deal with fostering resilience which can assist buffer the consequences of a relationship breakdown in addition to different distressing life occasions.
Assertion of pursuits
No conflicts of curiosity.
Hyperlinks
Major paper
Wilson, M. J., Scott, A. J., Pilkington, V., Macdonald, J. A., Rice, S. M., Oliffe, J. L., & Seidler, Z. E. (2025). Suicidality in males following relationship breakdown: A scientific evaluate and meta-analysis of worldwide knowledge. Psychological Bulletin.
Different references
Bennett, S., Robb, Okay. A., Zortea, T. C., Dickson, A., Richardson, C., & O’Connor, R. C. (2023). Male suicide threat and restoration elements: A scientific evaluate and qualitative meta-synthesis of twenty years of analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 149(7-8), 371–417.
Crucial Appraisal Abilities Program. (2018). CASP qualitative guidelines. https://casp-uk.internet/casp-tools-checklists/qualitative-studies-checklist/
Fazel, S., & Runeson, B. (2020). Suicide. The New England Journal of Medication, 382(3), 266–274.
Lengvenyte, A., Conejero, I., Courtet, P., & Olié, E. (2021). Organic bases of suicidal behaviours: A story evaluate. European Journal of Neuroscience, 53(1), 330–351.
Nationwide Coronary heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2021). Examine high quality evaluation instruments. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/study-quality-assessmenttools
Richardson, C., Robb, Okay. A., & O’Connor, R. C. (2021). A scientific evaluate of suicidal behaviour in males: A story synthesis of threat elements. Social Science & Medication, 113831.
Turecki G, Brent DA, Gunnell D, et al. Suicide and Suicide Danger. Nature Critiques Illness Primers 2019 5:1. 2019;5(1):1-22
World Well being Organisation. (2025). Suicide. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/element/suicide
