The Influence of Internet Suicide Accounts on Suicide-related Online Search Activities : A Time-series Analysis

Background: Previous analyses of the Werther effect have focused on the role of traditional media outlets such as newspapers and television, failing to consider the similar influence that online media may bear. Aim: This study examined the link between Internet reports about incidents of suicide and searches employing suicide-related terms. Methods: We analyzed suicide reports on websites linked from Google News Japan within the period from July to October 2010, and examined their cross correlation with the volume of searches employing suicide-related search terms ("shinitai (I want to die)", "jisatsu houhou (suicide method)", and "ryuuka suiso (hydrogen sulfide)") available in the Google Insight for Search. Results: A significantly positive correlation between the number of reports on celebrity suicides and the volume of searches employing the term "shinitai" and "jisatsu houhou". The volume of searches employing the term "ryuuka suiso" exhibited a significantly positive correlation with that same day’s total number of reports on completed suicides, reports on completed suicides involving non-celebrities, and reports describing the details of the people who died by suicide. Conclusion: The results were consistent with the idea that suicide reports, especially those involving celebrities, lead to an increase of searches employing suicide-related terms within a few days after the reports. A phenomenon similar to the Werther effect was observed between Internet suicide reports and Internet searches employing suicide-related terms

Web-based Suicide Prevention using the Concepts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of information based on the theoretical concept of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that was provided on a suicide-prevention website. We maintained a website from August 2008 to July 2010 that presented objective information about suicide and suicide prevention. CBT contents were added in August 2010, and the website was operational until July 2011. Data were collected from a website traffic analysis and an online questionnaire directed at the website users (n = 274). The decrease in suicidal ideation among users who read the CBT content was significantly larger than that of those who read the objective information. This result suggests that computerized CBT might function as a suicideprevention resource to help Internet users

Relationship Between Expression of Gratitude and the Success of Email Counseling for Suicide Prevention

Background: Studies focused on gratitude as a suicide prevention strategy that strengthens protective factors are increasing. However, previous studies did not examine the relationship between the actual occurrence of gratitude behavior and its suicide prevention effect.Aim: We examined whether the occurrence of gratitude behavior is related to suicide prevention. Methods: An advertisement inviting viewers to use free email-based psychological consultation services was placed on web pages that displayed the results of searches using suicide-related keywords. All emails received replies as part of gatekeeping activities, and the data obtained (responses to an online questionnaire and the content of the emails received) were analyzed.Results: In total, 197 consultation service users were analyzed; 33.3% were male and the median age range was 20–29 years. Logistic regression analysis showed an association between service users\u27 expression of gratitude to the gatekeeper in their second consultation email and successful online gatekeeping (odds ratio = 4.62, 95% confidence interval = 2.52–8.48). There were no statistically significant associations with other independent variables. Conclusion: This study supports the hypothesis that gratitude functions as a protective factor for suicide

インターネット上での自殺報道の現状 : Google Newsを対象とした報道内容の分析

本稿の目的は,インターネット上での自殺に関する報道の現状を明らかにし,その結果を先行研究と比較することで,インターネット上の報道の特徴と問題点を明らかにすることである。2010年7月から10月にGoogle Newsからリンクされた見出しに「自殺」という語を含むテキストベースの報道記事1,310件を対象とし,その中から国内の自殺報道として分類された543件の内容を詳細に分析した。その結果,記事の平均文字数は402字(標準備差=301)であった。記事の中で自殺の手段に触れているものは67.4%あり,そのうちの17.5%は行動を想起させ模倣を招きかねないほど具体的な記載がなされていた。その一方で,読者が利用可能な援助サービスについて言及している自殺報道記事は全体の1.3%のみであった。また,自殺者の精神障害への言及がなされていた12.5%の記事のうち9割以上がうつ病のみに言及していることから,うつ病が他の精神障害に比べニュースバリューが高い可能性が示唆された

仮想評価法を用いた自殺対策への支払意思額の推定 : 大学生への横断的質問紙調査

希少な事象による死亡リスクを削減する対策(例えば、交通事故死亡対策)の便益を算出する試みは、これまで主に交通事故死亡を対象として行われてきた。しかし、自殺死亡については検討されていない。そこで本研究では、大学生を対象にした調査を実施し、仮想評価法(自由回答方式)を用いて自殺死亡リスクの削減に対する支払意思額の推定を行い、その結果を用いて統計的生命の価値を算出した。組み入れ基準を満たした大学生111名分のデータを分析した結果、自殺死亡リスクを20/100,000から16/100,000へ20%削減することに対する支払意思額は、中央値で1000円(平均値:5267円、最頻値:1000円)であった。これを元に統計的生命の価値を算出すると、2500万円(平均値:1億3168万円)となった。また、自ら自殺念慮を有した経験があることと年齢が高いことが支払意思額の高さと統計的に有意に関連していた。本研究はいくつかの方法論的限界を有するが、自殺死亡リスクの削減を対象として支払意思額を検討した初の研究として重要な意義を持つと考えられた