A study examines adherence to suicide reporting guidelines in news articles posted on a social network. Suicide rates in the United States have increased over the last 20 years. In an effort to reduce suicide contagion, which refers to the spread of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors through exposure to sensationalized content, suicide prevention organizations have produced reporting guidelines. Examining content on a social networking site, Steven Sumner and colleagues analyzed media adherence to suicide reporting guidelines from the website reportingonsuicide.org and existing research, as well as reader engagement. The authors analyzed 664 news articles about suicide published in English and posted on the social network between October 20, 2018 and November 19, 2018. Elements that the guidelines advise against, such as describing the method or place of suicide, were identified in more than 50% of the articles. More than 60% of the articles did not include elements recommended by the guidelines, such as suicide warning signs and contact information for a suicide prevention hotline. US-based publications were less likely to adhere to the guidelines than publications based in other English-speaking countries. Compared with articles not adhering to the guidelines, articles adhering to the guidelines were more likely to be reshared and receive positive engagement. The findings suggest that adherence to suicide reporting guidelines may benefit individual health as well as reader engagement, according to the authors.
Article #20-01230: "Adherence to suicide reporting guidelines by news shared on a social networking platform," by Steven A. Sumner, Moira Burke, and Farshad Kooti.
MEDIA CONTACT: Courtney Lenard, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; tel: 770-488-3733; email: zvq5@cdc.gov
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences