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How people bereaved by suicide perceive newspaper reporting: qualitative study
Alison Chapple1, Sue Ziebland, Sue Simkin
1Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Health Experiences Research Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Alison.chapple@phc.ox.ac.uk
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|February 9, 2013
Summary
Bereaved individuals prioritize accurate and sympathetic media reporting after suicide, not just copycat prevention. Their needs must be considered alongside current media guidelines for responsible reporting.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Media Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Media reporting on suicide often causes distress to bereaved individuals.
- Current media guidelines primarily focus on preventing copycat suicides.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of individuals bereaved by suicide regarding media reporting.
- To examine the priorities of bereaved individuals concerning media guidelines.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 40 people bereaved by suicide.
- Review of four existing media guidelines for suicide reporting.
Main Results:
- A discrepancy exists between guidelines (emphasizing copycat prevention) and bereaved individuals' priorities (sympathetic, accurate reporting, sometimes including details/images).
- Some bereaved relatives were willing to engage with the press.
- Negative experiences stemmed from careless reporting, misquoting, and speculation.
Conclusions:
- While copycat prevention guidelines are crucial, the needs of bereaved relatives are equally important.
- Ensuring accuracy in reporting is vital for those grieving.
- Intermediaries, like police press officers, can help families prepare statements to minimize misrepresentation.
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