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Chu M, Lee CY, Huang S, Zhang X, Wang L, Chen T, Chiang YC. Improving responsible Media Reporting on Student Suicide to Reduce Negative Public Opinion: Text Mining Based on Sina Weibo in China. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2024:302228241240945. [PMID: 39049160 DOI: 10.1177/00302228241240945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The aims of this study were to explore whether student suicide reporting is consistent with media recommendations for suicide reporting; analyze public opinion and sentiments toward student suicide reports. A keyword search was performed on the WeiboReach platform. This study included 113 student suicide report posts and 176,262 readers' comments on suicide news reports. Hierarchical generalized linear modeling was used to analyze the relationships between adherence to reporting recommendations and negative emotions in readers' comments. None of the media reporting of student suicide was consistent with all of the media recommendations for suicide reporting. Netizens were less likely to post negative comments when the reports describe the suicide method used (OR 1.169, 95% CI 1.022∼1.337), and not specifying the cause of suicide was a protective factor for public negative emotion (OR 0.799, 95% CI 0.707, 0.905). The findings suggest improving responsible media reporting on student suicide to reduce negative public emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijie Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chun-Yang Lee
- School of International Business, China Merchants, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Shiling Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaoke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- MSD R&D (China) Co., Ltd., China
| | - Lijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Tianmu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yi-Chen Chiang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Ittefaq M, Ahmad Kamboh S, Iqbal A, Iftikhar U, Abwao M, Arif R. Understanding public reactions to state security officials' suicide cases in online news comments. DEATH STUDIES 2022; 47:499-508. [PMID: 35854472 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2101074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about public reactions to state security officials' suicide in Muslim countries like Pakistan. To explore readers' reactions in online comments, we analyzed 1,765 comments related to 10 news stories about suicide published in five mainstream English newspapers. The findings revealed six themes: stress, depression, and mental health issues; controversial investigation reports and misinformation; need for stronger accountability to address corruption in the country; criticizing media and security institutions; sympathy for the deceased and their families; and suicide and Islam. We recommend that suicide prevention organizations should monitor audience comments to devise and suggest resources for the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ittefaq
- School of Communication Studies, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Azhar Iqbal
- School of Media and Communication Studies, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Urwah Iftikhar
- Department of Mass Communication, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mauryne Abwao
- Department of Arts and Media, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
| | - Rauf Arif
- Department of Mass Communication, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
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Karlsson LC, Antfolk J, Putkonen H, Amon S, da Silva Guerreiro J, de Vogel V, Flynn S, Weizmann-Henelius G. Familicide: A Systematic Literature Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2021; 22:83-98. [PMID: 30704336 DOI: 10.1177/1524838018821955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Familicides have received relatively little attention and are mostly discussed in studies with broader aims. Here, we reviewed 67 studies from 18 countries on familicides, in which an offender killed or attempted to kill their current or former spouse/intimate partner and one or more of their biological or stepchildren. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Eight studies investigated familicide specifically, while the remaining reported on familicide cases as a subsample. We retrieved data on offenders' gender, age, and background as well as on victims and their relationship to the offender. We also retrieved data on contextual factors and offense characteristics (i.e., modus operandi, offense location, premeditation, and whether or not the offender had committed suicide). We also coded methodological aspects of the studies. Familicides were almost exclusively committed by men and about half of the familicide cases led to the suicide of the offender. Mental health problems, relationship problems, and financial difficulties were prevalent. Because few studies reported population base rates of the investigated characteristics, it is difficult to draw conclusions about specific risk factors. Future research should further investigate typologies of familicide and examine risk factors for different types of familicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C Karlsson
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Jan Antfolk
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Hanna Putkonen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Addiction Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sabine Amon
- Department of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - João da Silva Guerreiro
- Department of Psychology, Centre de recherche de l'Institut Philippe Pinel de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Vivienne de Vogel
- De Forensische Zorgspecialisten and University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra Flynn
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ghitta Weizmann-Henelius
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
- Vanha Vaasa Hospital, Vaasa, Finland
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Rosen G, Kreiner H, Levi-Belz Y. Public Response to Suicide News Reports as Reflected in Computerized Text Analysis of Online Reader Comments. Arch Suicide Res 2020; 24:243-259. [PMID: 30636527 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2018.1563578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has documented the rise in rates of suicidal behaviors following media reports of celebrity suicide. Whereas most research has focused on documenting and analyzing suicide rates, little is known about more subtle psychological effects of celebrity suicide on the public, such as despair and feelings of abandonment. The Internet has revolutionized the responses to news reports, enabling immediate and anonymous responses potentially reflecting these psychological processes. Thus, the current study explored the unique psychological impact of a celebrity suicide on the public by analyzing the big data of readers' comments to suicide news reports, using computational linguistics methods. Readers' comments (N = 14,506) to suicide news reports were retrieved from 4 leading online news sites. The comments were posted in response to 1 of 1 types of reports: a celebrity suicide (Robin Williams), a non-celebrity suicide, and general reports of suicide as a social phenomenon. LIWC software for computerized linguistic analysis was used to calculate the frequency of the various types of words used. Comparison of the responses to the 3 types of suicide reports revealed higher frequency of first-person pronouns and for emotionally charged words on comments to a celebrity suicide, compared with comments to the other types of suicide reports. The findings suggest that celebrity suicide news reports evoke the expression of positive emotions, possibly related to the venerated celebrity, alongside negative, internalized emotions, and feelings of social isolation. Theoretical, practical, and methodological implications are discussed.
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Acosta J, Ramchand R, Becker A. Best Practices for Suicide Prevention Messaging and Evaluating California's "Know the Signs" Media Campaign. CRISIS 2017; 38:287-299. [PMID: 28228062 DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although communication is a key component of US strategies to prevent suicide and there are a number of marketing campaigns promoting messages that suicide is a preventable public health problem, there has been little evaluation of these campaigns. AIMS The study describes the development of a checklist of best practices for suicide prevention communication campaigns and the use of the checklist to evaluate California's investment in "Know the Signs" (KTS-M), a suicide prevention mass media campaign. METHOD We conducted a literature review and solicited expert feedback to identify best practices and then used the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method to assess whether KTS-M was consistent with the identified best practices. RESULTS Overall, experts agreed that KTS-M adhered to most of the 46 checklist items and suggested that the campaign was among the best suicide prevention media campaigns they had observed. LIMITATIONS The checklist was developed through expert input and literature review and focuses only on media campaigns. CONCLUSION Given the nascent state of the evidence about what makes an effective suicide prevention message and the growing number of campaigns, the checklist of best practices reflects one way of promoting quality in this evolving field. The consistency between the experts' comments and their ratings of KTS-M suggests that the checklist may provide important guidance to inform the development of future campaigns and the evaluation of ongoing campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amariah Becker
- 2 Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Rezaeian M, Zarghami M. Algorithm Characterization of Suicide: Introducing an Informative Categorization System. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2016; 10:e4544. [PMID: 27822281 PMCID: PMC5097447 DOI: 10.17795/ijpbs-4544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Rezaeian
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Occupational Environmental Research Center, Rafsanjan Medical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, IR Iran
| | - Mehran Zarghami
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, IR Iran; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, IR Iran
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Avolio BJ, Sosik JJ, Kahai SS, Baker B. E-leadership: Re-examining transformations in leadership source and transmission. LEADERSHIP QUARTERLY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Wood MJ, Douglas KM. "What about building 7?" A social psychological study of online discussion of 9/11 conspiracy theories. Front Psychol 2013; 4:409. [PMID: 23847577 PMCID: PMC3703523 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research into the psychology of conspiracy belief has highlighted the importance of belief systems in the acceptance or rejection of conspiracy theories. We examined a large sample of conspiracist (pro-conspiracy-theory) and conventionalist (anti-conspiracy-theory) comments on news websites in order to investigate the relative importance of promoting alternative explanations vs. rejecting conventional explanations for events. In accordance with our hypotheses, we found that conspiracist commenters were more likely to argue against the opposing interpretation and less likely to argue in favor of their own interpretation, while the opposite was true of conventionalist commenters. However, conspiracist comments were more likely to explicitly put forward an account than conventionalist comments were. In addition, conspiracists were more likely to express mistrust and made more positive and fewer negative references to other conspiracy theories. The data also indicate that conspiracists were largely unwilling to apply the "conspiracy theory" label to their own beliefs and objected when others did so, lending support to the long-held suggestion that conspiracy belief carries a social stigma. Finally, conventionalist arguments tended to have a more hostile tone. These tendencies in persuasive communication can be understood as a reflection of an underlying conspiracist worldview in which the details of individual conspiracy theories are less important than a generalized rejection of official explanations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Wood
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kent Canterbury, UK
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Sisask M, Värnik A. Media roles in suicide prevention: a systematic review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2012; 9:123-38. [PMID: 22470283 PMCID: PMC3315075 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph9010123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Revised: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the current systematic review was to monitor and provide an overview of the research performed about the roles of media in suicide prevention in order to find out possible effects media reporting on suicidal behaviours might have on actual suicidality (completed suicides, attempted suicides, suicidal ideation). The systematic review was performed following the principles of the PRISMA statement and includes 56 articles. Most of the studies support the idea that media reporting and suicidality are associated. However, there is a risk of reporting bias. More research is available about how irresponsible media reports can provoke suicidal behaviours (the 'Werther effect') and less about protective effect media can have (the 'Papageno effect'). Strong modelling effect of media coverage on suicide is based on age and gender. Media reports are not representative of official suicide data and tend to exaggerate sensational suicides, for example dramatic and highly lethal suicide methods, which are rare in real life. Future studies have to encounter the challenges the global medium Internet will offer in terms of research methods, as it is difficult to define the circulation of news in the Internet either spatially or in time. However, online media can provide valuable innovative qualitative research material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merike Sisask
- Central Behavior & Health Science, Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), 39 Õie, Tallinn 11615, Estonia;
- Institute of Social Work, Tallinn University, 25 Narva mnt, Tallinn 10120, Estonia
| | - Airi Värnik
- Central Behavior & Health Science, Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), 39 Õie, Tallinn 11615, Estonia;
- Institute of Social Work, Tallinn University, 25 Narva mnt, Tallinn 10120, Estonia
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