NCJ Number
123985
Date Published
1989
Length
16 pages
Annotation
After reviewing recent research on the impact of mass media stories about suicide, this chapter analyzes new data in considering whether the manner in which these stories are presented affects the degree to which the publicized suicides are imitated.
Abstract
The only explanation that fits all the data from the relevant studies reviewed is that publicized suicides elicit some additional suicides, some of which are disguised as automobile accidents. Alternative explanations of the data are not as persuasive. To determine whether story content and style of presentation may impact imitative suicides, the authors analyzed videotapes of the same network news broadcasts that composed the data set in the Phillips and Carstensen (1986) study of teenage suicide. The videotapes of 32 stories were obtained. The stories were classified according to 12 characteristics pertaining to information on the suicide, the format of the story, and victim characteristics reported. The study found that the form and content of individual news stories had no significant impact on imitative suicides, but the amount of media coverage did. Research methodology is discussed, and future research is suggested. 1 table, 26 references.