本研究主旨在於探討當前中國的家庭體制對於國人自殺死亡的保護功能。西方社會學家一致將婚姻和家庭視作重要的社會整合力量，家庭角色及其有意義的互動，具有對自殺的保護功能。根據台灣地區近十二年來（1974～1985）自殺死亡率的分析，我們發現：（1）對男性而言，婚姻與家庭對自殺死亡具有保護功能，此功能似隨年齡增加而遞減。不過近三年來，老年單身男性的自殺死亡率出現劇增的現象。（2）對女性而言，若由單身與已婚女性之自殺死亡率來比較，則婚姻似乎加劇了年輕已婚婦女自殺死亡的傾向，但由喪偶與已婚女性之比較，則家庭似仍具有保護功能。在此研究中，我們亦發現國人自殺死亡率十二年來尚稱穩定，且在國際上屬偏低。自年齡而言，年紀大的自殺死亡率比年輕者高。由性別之比較，則男性自殺死亡率雖高於女性（1.5：1），但此比例在國際上仍屬偏低狀態。

The purpose of this study is to assess the protective function of the family in Taiwan in against suicide. Marriage and the family are considered as major integrative social force which offer meaningful social roles and social interactions, and thus protect people from self-destructive tendencies. Based on suicide mortality data in Taiwan, 1974~1985, our analysis shows that (1) Marriage and the family have the protective effect for males, and the protection seems to be greater for younger than for older males. However, suicide rate for the single elderly seems to increase drastically in recent three years. (2) Marriage seems to aggravate the suicide risk for married young females; but for widowed females, the family protective function seems to exist. In this study, we also found that suicide rates during this period are relatively low and stable. Older people tend to have a higher risk than that of younger people, and males have a slightly higher risk than that of their female counterpart.