QUESTION
One of the big issues surrounding suicide prevention programs in the media is the contention that the presence of suicide in the media (news stories, fictional stories ie movies and tv programs containing suicide) can contribute to an increase in suicide, ie copy cat suicide.
question: what evidence is there to support the claim that suicide in the media increases the suicide rate? and if this is the case how should suicede be presented in the media to increase public awareness of this significant health issue here in Australia.
SOLUTION
Media’s Influence on increasing suicide rate
Suicide rate in Australia for teenagers of age group from 15 to 24 have doubled since 1985. Suicides rates have tripled for teenage boys and men in their early twenties.Unlikely these age men group are also prime focal point of criminal justice system.
The ministry of health has analyzed through public studies and research that most of the cases are influenced by either someone’s story of suicide or by depiction of suicide, either factual or fiction. Though there hasn’t been any direct evidences related to media influencing suicides but there are researched which examined the effect of suicide publicity be media. A major study revealed that US suicide numbers increased from 1948 to 1968 after suicide stories were revealed. (Philips & Carstenson, 1986). Also there is a increase risk due to placements of stories on the front page of the paper (Philips,Ganzeboom & De han, 1982). According to Australian Institute of Criminology media is considered as one of the social factor for increase in male suicides. The most credible explanation is that most stories are likely to report male suicide. Most likely it can be also due to exposure and lethality of methods used. One of the very convincing evidence is post release of the book “Final Exit”, asphyxiation is recommend means of committing suicide.Numbers of suicides through asphyxiation rose by 313 % from eight to thirty three.
Media’s impact on suicide can be explained as social learning theory.process known as differential identification.It describes the extent to which a person relates or identifies with one story, hay type is considered to have more powerful impact.
According to the study conducted by BJ, Psych media can play a role which will help in reducing suicide rates.There is preventive effect called Papageno effect, focus is on suicide ideation and not accompanied by attempt or complete suicide.It will help in creating an impact “going on living”.Promotional activities through publication of articles on individuals who avoided suicides and adopted coping mechanisms.Media’s strict abidance to the rule given by WHO to tone down reports and increase ideation would help in reducing the numbers.
Reference:
⁃ Ministry of Health.(1999). Suicide and Media, The New zealand youth suicide prevention strategy. Retrieved September, 1999 from ministry of health website: http://www.spinz.org.nz/file/downloads/pdf/file_50.pdf
⁃ Thomas, N., Martin,V., Arno, H., Benedikt,T.,Markus, S., Elmar, E., Brigitte, E, & Gernot, S. (2012). Role of media report in completed and prevented suicide.BJ Psych, Volume 200 (Issue 4),.Retrieved from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/197/3/234.full.pdf+html
⁃ Riaz Hassan.(1996).Trends and issues in crimes and criminal justice, Australian Institute of criminology. Retrieved on February 1996 from Australian Institute of Criminology website: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/9/0/%7B490EDFD9-212E-414F-B4E5-F3DA8A6D0413%7Dti52.pdf
⁃ Phillips DP, Carstensen LL, Paight D. Effects of mass media news stories on suicide, with new evidence on story content. In: Pfeiffer C, ed. Suicide among youth: perspectives on risk and prevention. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1989:101–16
⁃ S, Stack. (2003). Media coverage as a risk factor in suicide.Epidemiology and community health,Volume 57 (Issue 4),238-240. Retrieved from http://jech.bmj.com/content/57/4/238.full
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