According to Emile Durkheim, when or why does an egoistic suicide occur?

Appeared in: DSSSB 14 August 2024

Explanation

Egoistic suicide is defined by a low degree of social integration.
It occurs when an individual's ties to their community or social group are too weak.
The person feels like an outsider, socially isolated, and believes their life has no purpose within the larger society.
This detachment from collective life makes the individual more vulnerable to personal frustrations and depression, leading to suicide.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: This description corresponds to fatalistic suicide, not egoistic suicide.
Option C: This description defines anomic suicide, which is related to social regulation, not integration.
Option D: This describes altruistic suicide, which is the opposite of egoistic suicide in terms of social integration.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Emile Durkheim's Sociological Theory of Suicide as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In mental health nursing, assessing a patient's social support system, community involvement, and feelings of belonging is a critical part of suicide risk assessment.
Understanding these sociological factors helps nurses identify individuals who may be at higher risk due to social isolation (egoistic risk) or recent life upheavals (anomic risk).
Nursing interventions can then focus on strengthening social connections, encouraging group therapy, and connecting patients with community resources to combat feelings of isolation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concept in the question stem, which is 'egoistic suicide' as defined by 'Emile Durkheim'.
This is a factual recall question based on a specific sociological theory.
Recall or deduce the core principle of 'egoistic' suicide. The word 'ego' itself points towards the self or individual.
Evaluate each option against this principle. Egoistic suicide is about the individual being detached from the group.
Option A directly describes social isolation and a lack of belonging, which is the definition of egoistic suicide.
Briefly analyze the other options to confirm they describe different concepts (fatalistic, anomic, and altruistic suicide) to ensure your choice is the best fit.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Emile Durkheim's Sociological Theory of Suicide
Stem keywords: Emile Durkheim, egoistic suicide
Lead-in keywords: According to, when or why
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QjsXEbCQT9wHZ41BPbp6hK

Reference Book

E6 Applied Sociology for Nurses TK Indrani p. 228-230

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3861-3863

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