Systematic review and meta-analyses of suicidal outcomes following fictional portrayals of suicide and suicide attempt in entertainment media.

Entertainment Fiction Media Meta-analysis Suicide Werther effect

Journal

EClinicalMedicine
ISSN: 2589-5370
Titre abrégé: EClinicalMedicine
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101733727

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Jun 2021
Historique:
received: 01 03 2021
revised: 30 04 2021
accepted: 06 05 2021
entrez: 26 7 2021
pubmed: 27 7 2021
medline: 27 7 2021
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Guidelines to encourage responsible reporting of suicide in news media are a key component of suicide prevention strategies. Recent guidelines have been developed on portrayal of suicide in entertainment media although the relationship between these portrayals and subsequent suicidal behaviour has received considerably less attention in research. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between portrayals of suicide and suicide attempt in entertainment media and suicidal behaviour in the population. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science and Google Scholar until April 20, 2021. We included studies adopting interrupted time series or single/multiple arm pre-post designs. Separate analyses were undertaken for studies of suicide and suicide attempts. We synthesized studies at moderate risk of bias and included studies at serious risk in a sensitivity analysis. Using a random-effects meta-analysis, we synthesized studies at moderate risk of bias and included studies at serious risk in a sensitivity analysis. Study registration: PROSPERO (CRD42020221333). Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. Six studies were about suicide. Two of these were at moderate risk of bias and both examined the effects of the Netflix series Portrayals of suicide in entertainment media may increase suicides and attempted suicide in the population. More studies that limit the potential sources of bias are needed to fully understand the circumstances under which fictional portrayals may influence suicidal behaviour. None.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Guidelines to encourage responsible reporting of suicide in news media are a key component of suicide prevention strategies. Recent guidelines have been developed on portrayal of suicide in entertainment media although the relationship between these portrayals and subsequent suicidal behaviour has received considerably less attention in research.
METHODS METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between portrayals of suicide and suicide attempt in entertainment media and suicidal behaviour in the population. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science and Google Scholar until April 20, 2021. We included studies adopting interrupted time series or single/multiple arm pre-post designs. Separate analyses were undertaken for studies of suicide and suicide attempts. We synthesized studies at moderate risk of bias and included studies at serious risk in a sensitivity analysis. Using a random-effects meta-analysis, we synthesized studies at moderate risk of bias and included studies at serious risk in a sensitivity analysis. Study registration: PROSPERO (CRD42020221333).
FINDINGS RESULTS
Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. Six studies were about suicide. Two of these were at moderate risk of bias and both examined the effects of the Netflix series
INTERPRETATION CONCLUSIONS
Portrayals of suicide in entertainment media may increase suicides and attempted suicide in the population. More studies that limit the potential sources of bias are needed to fully understand the circumstances under which fictional portrayals may influence suicidal behaviour.
FUNDING BACKGROUND
None.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100922 PMID: 34308310 PMC: PMC8257930
pubmed: 34308310
doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100922
pii: S2589-5370(21)00202-9
pmc: PMC8257930
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

100922

Informations de copyright

© 2021 The Author(s).

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Kirchner reports grants from Austrian Science Fund (FWF), project P30918-B27, during the conduct of the study. Dr. Sinyor reports personal fees from University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, personal fees from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Department of Psychiatry, grants from American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, grants from Canadian Institutes of Health Research, grants from Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, grants from Mental Health Research Canada, grants from Institute for the Advancements in Mental Health, grants from University of Toronto Miner's Lamp Innovation Fund, grants from Telus Canada, during the conduct of the study. Dr. Spittal is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT180100075) funded by the Australian Government. Dr. Pirkis is funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (GNT1173126).

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Auteurs

Thomas Niederkrotenthaler (T)

Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research, Vienna, Austria.

Stefanie Kirchner (S)

Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research, Vienna, Austria.

Benedikt Till (B)

Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research, Vienna, Austria.

Mark Sinyor (M)

Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Ulrich S Tran (US)

Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research, Vienna, Austria.
School of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Jane Pirkis (J)

Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

Matthew J Spittal (MJ)

Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

Classifications MeSH