Suicide Coverage Research Articles

Unveiling hope: how social support reciprocity shields against the shadows of intimate partner violence and suicidal ideation in rural Chinese older adults.

The paper titled "A systematic review of psychosocial protective factors against suicide and suicidality among older adults" by Ki and colleagues is a thought-provoking review that emphasizes the importance of improving protective factors for the development of suicide prevention and intervention in older adults, rather than just focusing on risk factors. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, media coverage of mental health and suicide has gained widespread attention. Suicide may become a more pressing issue due to the enormous economic and social toll of the spreading epidemic. Therefore, this systematic review is relevant in preventing suicide among older adults in the "post-pandemic" periods of COVID-19.In this study, the authors highlight the importance of examining the moderating or mediating role of protective factors in suicide, due to the fact that suicide prevention must take into account a variety of factors simultaneously. More importantly, most studies focused primarily on received support among interpersonal protective factors, neglecting the role of support given to others, which might be more beneficial for older adults' well-being. The thought that ensues is what role will social support reciprocity play in specific risk factors and suicidal behavior.

Psychiatrists’ Perceptions of the Role of Journalists in Suicide Reporting and Prejudices about Mental Illnesses in Portugal

International studies and the World Health Organization call for collaboration between media and mental health professionals to reduce the risk of imitative suicidal behaviour after suicide reporting – known as the Werther effect – and encourage individuals at risk to seek help. This study explores Portuguese psychiatrists’ perceptions of the practices of journalists, their interaction with those professionals, and their perspectives on the national suicide coverage through an anonymous online questionnaire and ten semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire received 128 responses. Only about 24% of the Portuguese psychiatrists characterized their relationship with journalists as cooperative, and most of them considered suicide reporting to be sensationalist and irresponsible. More than 80% of the participants expressed the view that journalists do not know the guidelines for responsible suicide reporting, but more than 95% considered that they can contribute to suicide prevention. These findings suggest that there is a long way to go to build a constructive partnership for suicide prevention between psychiatrists and journalists in Portugal, focused on improving the quality of suicide reporting. We hope this study may inspire similar studies in other countries, since suicide is an international public health problem and collaboration between media and mental health professionals can help to prevent it on a global scale.

Assessing adherence to guidelines of media reporting on suicide based on the Precaution Adoption Process Model and Agenda-Setting Theory

The World Health Organization named suicide prevention a global imperative with the media playing an integral role in it. By employing the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) and Agenda-Setting Theory as the theoretical framework, this study aimed to examine the coverage on suicide by The Star, which is an English-language daily with the largest circulation in Malaysia. A five-year (2014–18) range of news coverage was assessed for its adherence to the Malaysian guidelines for media reporting on suicide. The findings showed that the coverage on suicide by The Star was mostly in the form of straight news, whereby articles performed the disseminator role of news media providing facts or quote sources, without including journalists’ interpretation on the suicide incidents. The most common source quoted in the coverage were authorities such as police and government officials. The overall adherence of The Star’s suicide coverage with Malaysian guidelines for media reporting on suicide was mixed. Adherence was adequate (>60 per cent) on some items of the guidelines but extremely low (<18 per cent) for other specific recommendations. The practical implications of the findings are discussed with regard to the implementation and monitoring of media guidelines for suicide reporting, as well as professional education and training of journalists and media–mental health professionals liaison.

Reporting on Suicide: An Examination of Suicide Coverage by U.S. Student Newspapers

Suicide is an important issue facing students on college campuses. Student journalists face unique challenges covering suicide, including ethical considerations related to headline wording, text descriptions, and sourcing. Health advocates, news outlets, and professional journalism organizations partnered to develop guidelines for responsible suicide reporting. This study sought to understand the extent to which student journalists complied with the recommendations, which were designed to prevent so-called “copycat” deaths. Using content analysis, the study examined how 51 student newspapers covered suicide more than 3 years (2019–2021). It offers recommendations for students and advisors.

Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines.

Despite an increase in research evidence on media compliance with suicide reporting guidelines globally, evidence from Nigeria seems to be relatively limited. This study assessed the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) helpful/harmful suicide reporting cues in suicide stories reported by Nigerian newspapers in 2021. The setting is the entire Nigeria and the design is descriptive. Quantitative content analysis method was adopted and 205 online suicide-related stories from news portals of 10 purposefully selected newspapers were analyzed. The newspapers selected were among the top 20 in Nigeria and had higher circulation/coverage and considerable online presence. Evaluation framework was designed following moderated WHO guidelines. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used for the analysis. The study suggested high prevalence of harmful reporting and near absence of helpful suicide reporting cues among Nigerian newspapers. Majority of the stories, 95.6% mentioned suicide in the headline; 79.5% provided details on the suicide methods employed; 66.3% offered mono-causal explanation to suicide; and 59% featured images of suicide victims and/or suicide-related graphics. Helpful reporting cues were almost nonexistence as only less than 4% of the stories traced warning signs, reported mental health experts/professionals' opinions, featured research findings/population level statistics, and provided details on the identity/contact of suicide prevention programs/support services. Prevalence of harmful suicide-reporting practice among Nigerian Newspaper presented a gloomy future for suicide prevention in the country. There be training and motivation programs for health/crime reporters/editors on responsive media coverage of suicide following (a domesticated) WHO guidelines.

New research on media coverage of mental illness and suicide: implications for stigma, suicide mortality and social inclusion.

Abstract: IntroductionThe Werther effect is a phenomenon that has been demonstrated in the media. These media are being replaced by social media, the use of which has increased greatly over the decade especially among young people, allowing content to be streamed instantly and fostering connections around the world. At the same time, there is a deterioration in mental health among young people.ObjectivesTo know if there is a Werther effect on social networks, as well as to understand the relationship between this effect and social media. It was also wanted to know if the posts follow the guidelines for dealing with suicide if there are differences between types of social media and if this effect is observed after the death of celebrities.MethodsA systematic review was performed with analysis, data extraction and synthesis of the structured results following the PRISMA criteria.Results15 articles were included, 11 of which showed Werther effects on social media, while only 4 were unrelated. It was found that most publications did not follow the recommended guidelines. No differences were observed between social media, while a greater effect was observed when it was related to celebrity suicide.ConclusionsSocial media can act as a suicide support network, as it is a space where there is a risk of infection by normalizing suicide and treating it insecurely. However, it has also been shown that it can act as an agent of change and protection, as many public individuals on social media seek help and express their concerns. More studies are needed to know the magnitude of the Werther effect on social media and to know the potential benefits of talking about suicide if it is done safely.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Media coverage and speculation about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide: a content analysis of UK news

ObjectivesSince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much concern and speculation about rises in suicide rates, despite evidence that suicides did not in fact increase in the...

Canadian news media coverage of suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to concerns about increases in suicidal behaviour. Research indicates that certain types of media coverage of suicide may help reduce suicidality (the Papageno effect), while other types may increase suicidality (the Werther effect). This study aimed to examine the tone and content of Canadian news articles about suicide during the first year of the pandemic. Articles about suicide from Canadian news sources were collected and coded for adherence to responsible reporting of suicide guidelines. Articles which directly discussed suicidal behaviour in the COVID-19 context were identified and compared to other suicide articles in the same period. Lastly, a thematic analysis was conducted on the sub-sample of articles discussing suicide in the COVID-19 context. The sub-set of articles about suicide in the COVID-19 context (n = 103) contained significantly more putatively helpful content compared to non-COVID-19 articles (n = 457), such as including help information (56.3% Vs 23.6%), quoting an expert (68.0% Vs 16.8%) and educating about suicide (73.8% Vs 24.9%). This lower adherence among non-COVID-19 articles is concerning as they comprised over 80% of the sample. On the plus side, fewer than 10% of all articles provided monocausal, glamourized or sensational accounts of suicide. Qualitative analysis revealed the following three themes: (i) describing the epidemiology of suicidal behaviour; (ii) discussing self and communal care; and (iii) bringing attention to gaps in mental health care. Media articles about suicide during the first year of the pandemic showed partial adherence to responsible reporting of suicide guidelines, with room for improvement.

16.1 The Tool for Evaluating Media Portrayals of Suicide (TEMPOS): A Novel Tool for Reducing the Risk of Media-Influenced Suicide Contagion

16.1 The Tool for Evaluating Media Portrayals of Suicide (TEMPOS): A Novel Tool for Reducing the Risk of Media-Influenced Suicide Contagion

Trends in Newspaper Coverage of Suicide in Israel: An 8-Year Longitudinal Study

Background The nature of newspaper coverage of suicide events can impact suicide risk. Thus, the World Health Organization published recommendations for reporting suicide in the media. To date, Israel has no data regarding adherence to these media guidelines and no indication of the influence of the Israeli National Suicide Prevention Program (NSPP) on adherence. Aiming to fill these gaps, the current study examined (1) Israeli newspapers' adherence to the guidelines for suicide coverage and (2) the impact of the NSPP on the adherence level of media reporting. Method Adherence to newspapers coverage guidelines was examined in two leading Israeli newspapers at three time points: T1 (2012, two years before the NSPP’s establishment), T2 (2016–2017, 2–3 years after its establishment), and T3 (2018–2019, 4–5 years after NSPP’s establishment). All articles reporting on suicide or suicidal behavior were analyzed at each time point regarding their adherence to the media guidelines. Results Two hundred articles were assessed and analyzed. The adherence level was 49.35% across all time points. We found improved adherence at T2 (after the initiation of the NSPP) in most of the guidelines but a slight decline at T3. Adherence to guidelines regarding prevention (Do guidelines) showed no significant improvement over time. Conclusions General adherence to guidelines was relatively low. However, steps can be taken to improve media coverage of suicide stories. The NSPP should make greater efforts to promote changes in media coverage of suicide events in Israel, such as providing information about risk factors, prevention, and intervention. HIGHLIGHTS A longitudinal study examined Israeli newspapers over three time points in the last decade. General adherence level to the suicide coverage guidelines was 49.35% across all time points. The National Suicide Prevention Program was linked to improvement in adherence to most guidelines.

Have News Reports on Suicide and Attempted Suicide During the COVID-19 Pandemic Adhered to Guidance on Safer Reporting?

Background: Associations between sensational news coverage of suicide and increases in suicidal behavior have been well documented. Amid growing concern over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates, it is especially important that news coverage adheres to recommended standards. Method: We analyzed the quality and content of print and online UK news reports of possible COVID-19-related suicides and suicide attempts in the first 4 months of the pandemic (N = 285). Results: The majority of reports made explicit links between suicidal behavior and the COVID-19 pandemic in the headline (65.5%), largely based on statements by family, friends, or acquaintances of the deceased (60%). The impact of the pandemic on suicidal behavior was most often attributed to feelings of isolation (27.4%), poor mental health (14.7%), and entrapment due to government-imposed restrictions (14.4%). Although rarely of poor overall quality, reporting was biased toward young people, frontline staff, and relatively unusual suicides and, to varying degrees, failed to meet recommended standards (e.g., 41.1% did not signpost readers to sources of support). Limitations: This analysis cannot account for the impact of reporting on suicide. Conclusion: Careful attention must be paid to the quality and content of reports, especially as longer-term consequences of the pandemic develop.

The Instagram/Facebook ban on graphic self‐harm imagery: A sentiment analysis and topic modeling approach

AbstractResearch indicates that adolescents who are vulnerable to self‐harm are likely to access social media specifically related to self‐harm, which often contains health myths and fails to provide linkages to appropriate resources. In this study, we examined the emotional discourse before and following a ban of graphic images of self‐harm on Facebook and Instagram. This observational case series study assesses a corpus of 8,013 tweets that specifically mention Facebook and/or Instagram between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019 (the ban occurred on February 7, 2019). Topical content was elucidated via statistical modeling to extract abstract topics in discourse. The graphic self‐harm ban produced emotional shifts in users of social media. A time series plot produced peaks of tweets on the banning of graphic images of self‐harm including political events, news coverage, and media exemplars of suicide (both celebrity and noncelebrity). We observed raw proportional differences with elevated emotions before the ban (i.e., disgust, joy, surprise, and trust) followed by elevated emotions occurring after the ban (i.e., anger, anticipation, and sadness). This study provides insight into how the policy‐change relating to self‐harm was received by those with a vested interest. These insights can be valuable to policymakers and advocates for those affected by self‐harm.

A Short Media Training Session Is Effective in Reinforcing Psychiatrists' Communication Skills About Suicide.

Because it has been associated with significant increases [through the Werther Effect (WE)] or decreases [through the Papageno Effect (PE)] of suicide rates, media coverage of suicide-related events is recognized as a prevention leverage. Unfortunately, the recommendations that the World Health Organization (WHO) has published to help journalists reporting on suicide remain poorly applied. The Mini Media Training (MMT) is a short media training session designed to increase psychiatrists’ ability to communicate about suicide during interviews. We aimed at assessing the effect of the MMT on psychiatrists’ ability to help journalists complying with the WHO recommendations. From June 2017 to December 2019, 173 physicians and residents in psychiatry were recruited during French national congresses. At baseline (T0) and 1 and 3 months later (T1), participants received the MMT, which consisted in a simulated interview where they we asked to answer a journalist about a mock suicide. Communication skills were measured with a score summing the number of delivered pieces of advice in relation to the WHO recommendations, with a maximum score of 33. A weighted score was also derived based on the degree of directivity needed for the participant to provide these items, again with a possible maximum of 33. A total of 132 psychiatrists participated in the study at T0 and T1. Both the weighted and unweighted score significantly increased from T0 to T1 (d = +2.08, p < 0.001, and d = +1.24, p < 0.001, respectively). Having a history of contacts with journalists, a short professional experience (<3 years) and prior knowledge of the WE, PE, and WHO recommendations were significantly associated with greater unweighted and weighted scores at baseline. The latter two variables also predicted greater T0–T1 improvement of the weighted score. These results suggest that the MMT could be effective for improving the ability of psychiatrists to guide journalists toward more responsible media coverage of suicide. As a short, easy to implement educational activity, the MMT could therefore be considered in association with other measures to help media professionals mitigating the WE and promoting the PE.

Factors associated with psychological impact of celebrity suicide media coverage: An online survey study

BackgroundWe investigated factors associated with vulnerability to the psychological impact of celebrity suicide news reporting after the suicide of an emerging Taiwanese novelist, Ms Yi-Han Lin. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional online survey. Participants completed a questionnaire which asked whether they were affected by the media coverage of Lin's suicide and whether they would seek help if affected. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with being affected by the celebrity suicide media reporting and, among those affected, factors associated with feeling suicidal or not seeking help. ResultsA total of 1258 respondents (81% females) completed the survey. Affected individuals (n=907; 70%) were more likely to be females, younger (age < 40 years), have past psychiatric treatment, and show increased interest in the incident (e.g., spending more time on reading the celebrity suicide news) than non-affected individuals. Among those affected, negative views of the media reporting impact, pessimistic attitude toward both depression treatment and suicide prevention, and having a history of past psychiatric treatment were associated with feeling suicidal, while low education attainment, increased interest in the celebrity suicide, and permissive attitude toward inappropriate media reporting were additionally associated with not seeking help. LimitationsSelection bias of participants through internet-based surveying should be considered. ConclusionIndividuals affected by the media coverage of celebrity suicide showed similar demographic and mental health characteristics as those of the deceased celebrity. Poor mental health and suicide prevention literacy may increase the risk of psychological impact and not seeking help. Future interventions could target at enhancing mental health literacy and help seeking intention in vulnerable individuals.

Psychiatrists Create Initiative to Educate Media About Suicide Contagion

Psychiatrists Create Initiative to Educate Media About Suicide Contagion

Violations of Suicide-Prevention Guidelines in US Media Coverage of Physician's Suicide Death During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Healthcare workers are at elevated risk for suicide; though it has yet to be studied, this risk may be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. News media coverage of high-profile suicide is associated with an increased risk of subsequent suicides. No analysis has yet been published of US media practices for reporting on healthcare worker suicides during the pandemic. Aims: The researchers aimed to evaluate pandemic-era media practices by investigating adherence to best-practice suicide reporting guidelines in coverage of Dr. Lorna Breen's death. Methods: The researchers conducted a content analysis of all unique articles by top outlets reporting Dr. Breen's death between April 26 and 29, 2020, and scored them based on their adherence to the 15 best-practice suicide reporting guidelines. Results: Every media outlet violated an average of at least 5 of 15 suicide guidelines in reporting on Dr. Breen's death; some abided by as few as 2 of 15 recommended guidelines. Seven of 15 guidelines were adhered to by fewer than one third of articles. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, notably easy to include, appeared in only 75% of articles. Limitations: The researchers were limited to reviewing media coverage of one specific instance of COVID-era healthcare worker suicide, making these findings applicable as a prominent case study rather than forming a generalizable claim about suicide reporting during the pandemic or about reporting on healthcare suicides. Conclusion: These violations highlight a range of opportunities to improve suicide prevention in the media, which has a responsibility to ensure reporting does not exacerbate the risk of suicide. Improved adherence to these guidelines could reduce harm for healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Indian media professionals' perspectives regarding the role of media in suicide prevention and receptiveness to media guidelines: a qualitative study.

ObjectivesCrime reports of suicide incidents routinely feature in the Indian mass media, with minimal coverage of suicide as a broader public health issue. To supplement our recently published content analysis study, we undertook qualitative interviews to examine media professionals' perspectives and experiences in relation to media reporting of suicide-related news in India.Design and settingIn 2017–2018, we undertook semistructured qualitative interviews with media professionals with experience reporting on suicide-related news. A semistructured interview guide was designed to initiate discussions around their perspectives and experiences in relation to reporting on suicide. Interviews were digitally audio-recorded and transcribed, and a deductive and inductive approach to thematic analysis was used.ParticipantsTwenty-eight interviews were undertaken with media professionals in Delhi, Chandigarh and Chennai.ResultsA clear role for media in suicide prevention framed around educating and informing the public was articulated by several participants and a majority of participants also reported concerns and anecdotal accounts that their reporting may negatively influence vulnerable people in the population. Nonetheless, a fatalistic attitude towards suicide was evident among several participants including dismissing or minimising concerns around imitation suicides. Several participants also expressed doubts around the quality of suicide helplines in India and were hesitant to add such contact details to their reports. Participants were largely very receptive to the idea of developing voluntary media guidelines for the Indian context, although doubts were raised around compliance unless additional initiatives were taken to engage media professionals at the highest levels.ConclusionsOur findings reveal the perspectives of media professionals operating in the Indian context and can be used to support constructive partnerships between media professionals and suicide prevention experts. There is a clear need for a genuine and sustained partnership between suicide prevention experts and media professionals at all levels.

Media and suicidal behaviour

Media coverage of suicidal behaviour can induce copycat suicides. This has been clearly confirmed by analysis of suicides following the huge media coverage of the railway suicide of the German national goal keeper in 2009. A socalled ‘Werther effect’ was not only visible in Germany, but also in neighbouring countries (1). Even more disturbing is the fact that these effects were not only short-lived, but a higher number of railway suicides was observed compared to baseline over a two year period (2). Increased cognitive availability of railway suicides might explain this finding. It adds to the important discussion concerning the risks and benefits of public antisuicidal campaigns. Destigmatisaton and normalisation of suicidal behaviour will on the one hand, facilitate helpseeking behaviour of people at risk, but on the other hand, will lower the threshold for committing suicide. Even when the wording within a antisuicide campaign is in line with recomendations of media guidelines, secondary reporting e.g. within social media will not be controllable. Social media are likely to contribute to the spreading and the choice of more lethal suicide methods, as has been shown for carbon monoxide poisoning and poisoning by other gasses (3). An increase of knowledge about and access to more lethal poisoning methods will have a major impact on suicide rates. 1) KOBURGER et al (2015), J Affect Disord 185:38-46 2) HEGERL et al (2013), J Affect Disord. 146: 39-44. 3) PAUL et al (2017), PLoS One 12: e0190136.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Reporting on suicide in Malaysia: Problem characterization and solution advocacy by media

Rising incidents of suicide capture the attention of healthcare providers, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and media. Furthermore, public conversations about social problems are largely mediated by the media. It is noteworthy that media have the power to shape the way the public thinks about an issue by suggesting what the issue is about, what the cause is, and what should be done as a solution. The current study aims to examine suicide coverage in Malaysia, particularly the problem characterization and solution advocacy by The Star in reporting suicide from 2014 to 2018. The Star is the English-language daily newspaper with the largest circulation in Malaysia. Through content analysis, the study found that there was a statistically significant difference between the number of articles reporting suicide and the different years. Most of the coverage was published in the form of straight news with a negative depiction of suicide. There was reporting on both local and international suicide news. In addition, suicide was linked to various issues (e.g. mental health, relationship or marriage problems, financial problems, workplace stress, etc.) in the coverage. The study also found a significant difference between issue narrative styles and suicide solutions. The practical implications of the findings are discussed with regard to the role of media in raising awareness of suicide, promoting prevention and intervention efforts at the institutional level, as well as undertaking a more robust interpretive approach in addressing the issue.

Coverage of Robin Williams' Suicide in Australian Newspapers.

Background: Australia's Mindframe guidelines provide media professionals with advice on ways to safely report on suicide. Aims: We aimed to examine the extent to which Australian newspaper articles on Robin Williams' suicide conformed to the Mindframe recommendations. Method: We searched Factiva for relevant articles appearing in Australian newspapers during the 5months following Williams' death on August 11, 2014. We retrieved the text of these articles from Factiva and, wherever possible, sourced scanned copies from the National Library of Australia. Trained coders rated the articles for quality, using a 10-item coding framework derived from the Mindframe guidelines. Results: Our search yielded 303 articles. In general, there were high levels of adherence to the Mindframe guidelines, with 67% of articles adhering to at least eight (80%) of the Mindframe guidelines. Limitations: We may have missed some articles and the coders' task involved some subjective judgments. Conclusion: Australian newspaper reporting of Robin Williams' suicide was largely consistent with the Mindframe guidelines. In particular, there was good adherence to recommendations designed to minimize the risk of imitative acts, which is positive. The poorer performance of articles in terms of recommendations to do with public education about suicide may be a missed opportunity.