Page 17 - Intuition, Imagination and Innovation in Suicidology Conference. 12th Triple i | Virtual Conference | 25th–27th May 2021
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ia and Suicide 12th Triple i | Virtual Conference | 25th–27th May 2021
Thomas Niederkrotenthaler
Prof. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler is associate professor of public health and re-
search group leader for suicide prevention research at Medical University Vien-
na, Austria. He has worked in several roles within the Association for Suicide Pre-
vention (IASP) in recent years. He has also been involved in revising IASP’s fun-
ding strategy to emphasize the need to diversify funding to improve and sustain
financial and organizational health. Prof. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler has also
continuously contributed to the areas he is most interested in, namely commu-
nications and media. He has led efforts to develop a communications strategy
for IASP activities during Covid-19, has contributed to linking IASP activities wi-
th those of the International Suicide Prevention Research Collaboration, and has
continuously contributed to briefings on suicide-related media events, for exam-
ple.
Abstract. Research in the area of media reporting of suicide has a long tradi-
tion, and most emphasis has been put exclusively on harmful media poten-
tials (the Werther effect). In recent years, the evidence of increases in suici-
de subsequent to sensationalist media coverage has substantially increased.
Simultaneously, first evidence for the positive roles of portrayals of suicide
prevention have emerged as well (the Papageno effect). This presentation
will give an overview of recent developments in the field of media and su-
icide research. The presentation will be a selective review of studies in the
field, covering reviews and meta-analytic approaches; content analyses in
various media settings; time series analyses; classic pre- after designs to as-
sess associations of media reports with suicide rates, as well as randomized
controlled trials conducted with various audiences. There is strong eviden-
ce today that media portrayals focusing on suicide methods that are largely
non-consistent with media guidelines result in increases in suicidal behavi-
ours, the Werther effect. Strongest evidence comes for celebrity reporting.
New evidence has also emerged for selected fictional depictions of suicide.
Recent research clearly suggests that both, specific media contents, as well
as audience characteristics, play an essential role in suicide-related media ef-
fects. Particularly vulnerable individuals who identify with suicidal characters
appear most prone to experience media effects, and the type of effect can
be an increase or decrease of suicidal ideation, depending on specific me-
https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-068-4.17 17
Thomas Niederkrotenthaler
Prof. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler is associate professor of public health and re-
search group leader for suicide prevention research at Medical University Vien-
na, Austria. He has worked in several roles within the Association for Suicide Pre-
vention (IASP) in recent years. He has also been involved in revising IASP’s fun-
ding strategy to emphasize the need to diversify funding to improve and sustain
financial and organizational health. Prof. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler has also
continuously contributed to the areas he is most interested in, namely commu-
nications and media. He has led efforts to develop a communications strategy
for IASP activities during Covid-19, has contributed to linking IASP activities wi-
th those of the International Suicide Prevention Research Collaboration, and has
continuously contributed to briefings on suicide-related media events, for exam-
ple.
Abstract. Research in the area of media reporting of suicide has a long tradi-
tion, and most emphasis has been put exclusively on harmful media poten-
tials (the Werther effect). In recent years, the evidence of increases in suici-
de subsequent to sensationalist media coverage has substantially increased.
Simultaneously, first evidence for the positive roles of portrayals of suicide
prevention have emerged as well (the Papageno effect). This presentation
will give an overview of recent developments in the field of media and su-
icide research. The presentation will be a selective review of studies in the
field, covering reviews and meta-analytic approaches; content analyses in
various media settings; time series analyses; classic pre- after designs to as-
sess associations of media reports with suicide rates, as well as randomized
controlled trials conducted with various audiences. There is strong eviden-
ce today that media portrayals focusing on suicide methods that are largely
non-consistent with media guidelines result in increases in suicidal behavi-
ours, the Werther effect. Strongest evidence comes for celebrity reporting.
New evidence has also emerged for selected fictional depictions of suicide.
Recent research clearly suggests that both, specific media contents, as well
as audience characteristics, play an essential role in suicide-related media ef-
fects. Particularly vulnerable individuals who identify with suicidal characters
appear most prone to experience media effects, and the type of effect can
be an increase or decrease of suicidal ideation, depending on specific me-
https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-068-4.17 17
