Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
Personal suicidality in reception and identification with suicidal film characters
Benedikt Till1, Peter Vitouch2, Arno Herberth3
1Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. benedikt.till@meduniwien.ac.at
Abstract:
The authors investigated the impact of suicidality on identity work during film exposure. Adults with low suicidality (n = 150) watched either It's My Party or The Fire Within, censored versions of these films not depicting the suicide, or the control film that concluded with a non-suicidal death. Baseline suicidality was measured with questionnaires before the movie. Identity work and identification with the protagonist were measured after the movie. Suicidality was directly associated with identity work during film dramas depicting suicide methods. The reception of suicide-related media content seems to partially depend on personal suicidality. Potential implications for suicide prevention are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Borderline Personality Disorder
Genetic and Environmental Contributions
Borderline Personality...
Social Scripts
Deindividuation
Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring

