Media Portrayals of Suicide
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MATTHEW A. DESROSIERS
Research, Ethics, and Scholarly Writing
September 18, 2013
WEEK 3: ARTICLE REVIEW/CRITIQUE
Media Portrayals of Suicide
In recent years, there has been growing concern over the reporting by the media of those who die by suicide. Various groups, such as the Centers for Disease Control (1994), the World Health Organization and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) (WHO & IASP, 2008), have proposed recommendations.
In addition, scholarly research has studied the impact of the media on suicidal behavior – that research recently confirmed that media attention can trigger copycat suicides. For example, Kunrath, Baumert, and Ladwig (2011) documented media reports of railway suicides in Germany affecting the subsequent number of railway suicides. Similarly, in Taiwan, (Chen et al., 2012) documented an increase in suicides using charcoal burning after the suicide of a popular young female singer using this method.
Bale (2001), writing on behalf of Befrienders International, stressed the importance of collaboration with the media in order to advance suicide prevention. Bale discussed the work of Keith Hawton from the Center for Suicide Research at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, was commissioned by Befrienders International to review research examining the links between suicide and media coverage. His review resulted in several conclusions: First, reports and portrayals of suicide in the media can increase suicidal behavior, especially when those reports are emphasized (for example, put on the front page of a newspaper) and repeated; and when they describe the methods in detail (with the young and old at particular risk in this case). Second, changes made to the reporting of methods can help to prevent subsequent suicides. Third, positive benefits are found in giving information regarding crisis hotlines and encouraging their use alongside the article about a particular suicidal individual. Finally,...
Research, Ethics, and Scholarly Writing
September 18, 2013
WEEK 3: ARTICLE REVIEW/CRITIQUE
Media Portrayals of Suicide
In recent years, there has been growing concern over the reporting by the media of those who die by suicide. Various groups, such as the Centers for Disease Control (1994), the World Health Organization and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) (WHO & IASP, 2008), have proposed recommendations.
In addition, scholarly research has studied the impact of the media on suicidal behavior – that research recently confirmed that media attention can trigger copycat suicides. For example, Kunrath, Baumert, and Ladwig (2011) documented media reports of railway suicides in Germany affecting the subsequent number of railway suicides. Similarly, in Taiwan, (Chen et al., 2012) documented an increase in suicides using charcoal burning after the suicide of a popular young female singer using this method.
Bale (2001), writing on behalf of Befrienders International, stressed the importance of collaboration with the media in order to advance suicide prevention. Bale discussed the work of Keith Hawton from the Center for Suicide Research at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, was commissioned by Befrienders International to review research examining the links between suicide and media coverage. His review resulted in several conclusions: First, reports and portrayals of suicide in the media can increase suicidal behavior, especially when those reports are emphasized (for example, put on the front page of a newspaper) and repeated; and when they describe the methods in detail (with the young and old at particular risk in this case). Second, changes made to the reporting of methods can help to prevent subsequent suicides. Third, positive benefits are found in giving information regarding crisis hotlines and encouraging their use alongside the article about a particular suicidal individual. Finally,...