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Suicide and the media.

M S Gould1

  • 1Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Division of Epidemiology, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 72, New York, NY 11024, USA. gouldm@child.cpmc.columbia.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|June 20, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Media coverage significantly impacts suicide rates, a phenomenon known as suicide contagion. Research identifies story elements, individual traits, and social context that influence this effect, guiding safer reporting practices.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Media Studies
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Growing evidence links media coverage to suicide rates.
  • Previous reviews established the existence of suicide contagion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review English-language literature on media's influence on suicide.
  • To identify moderating factors in media-induced suicide contagion.
  • To provide recommendations for responsible suicide reporting.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of English-language publications and translations.
  • Analysis of interactive factors: story characteristics, individual attributes, and social context.
  • Synthesis of findings from existing research.

Main Results:

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  • Media coverage, including fictional portrayals, demonstrably impacts suicide.
  • Factors like story agent, individual host attributes, and environmental context moderate this impact.
  • Suicide contagion is a confirmed phenomenon, not a hypothesis.

Conclusions:

  • The existence of suicide contagion is scientifically established.
  • Future research should pinpoint specific story elements that promote contagion.
  • Understanding these elements is crucial for developing effective suicide prevention strategies through media.