How to Adjust Media Recommendations on Reporting Suicidal Behavior to New Media Developments

Abstract

This study examines the inclusion of preventive factors and new media developments in media recommendations on suicide reporting. Of the 193 member states of the United Nations screened for media recommendations, information was available for 74 countries. Similarities and differences in their contents were analyzed by cluster analysis. Results indicate that of these 74 countries, 38% have national suicide prevention programs, 38% have media recommendations, and 25% have press codes including suicide reporting. Less than 25% of the media recommendations advise against mentioning online forums, suicide notes, pacts, clusters, hotspots, details of the person, and positive consequences. No more than 15% refer to self-help groups, fictional and online reporting. We conclude that media recommendations need to be revised by adding these preventive factors and by including sections on new media reporting.

Keywords:

• imitation
• media recommendations
• suicide
• suicide attempt
• suicide prevention
• Werther effect

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are indebted to Prof. Elmar Etzersdorfer, Germany; Prof. Sándor Fekete, Hungary; Prof. Burkhard Jabs, Germany; Prof. David Lester, USA; Dr. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Austria; Dr. Dirk Ritter, Germany; and Dr. Sylvia Schaller, Germany, for their help in defining the coding variables; to Dr. Ilaria Balossi and Nina Glatter, Germany, for their translations of media recommendations; to Frank-Samuel Schäfer, Germany, for his support in data collection.

Notes

¹Sometimes 194 UN member states are listed. However, one country's membership is unclear.

²AS, EE, SF, BJ, DL, TN, BP, DR, SS.

³JM, BP, AS, SS.

⁴JM, BP, AS.

Note. *Numbers according to Table 1.

⁵In 2012, Australia and Austria published short versions of the media recommendations in the national languages.

Note. *Numbers according to Table 1. For each potentially preventive factor and cluster, percentages are indicated.

χ²-values and P-values are presented for differences in each variable per cluster.