Graduation Date
5-2017
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Communication and Media Studies
Director of the Honors Program
Gigi Gokcek, PhD
First Reader
John Duvall, PhD
Second Reader
LeeAnn Bartolini, PhD
Abstract
Suicide has long plagued Lithuania, establishing the small country as one of the global leaders in suicide mortality. The gravity of this nationwide issue may be the result of a variety of factors, including the country’s traumatic history, societal standards and taboos, high rates of alcohol consumption, and underdeveloped prevention programs. This research paper analyzes several decades of data obtained from prior studies to assess the underlying causes and contributing factors to Lithuania’s high rates of suicide. The primary goal of this paper is to raise awareness of Lithuania’s suicide epidemic and to propose feasible methods to ameliorate the problem.