Are There Gender‐Specific Risk Factors for Suicidal Activity among Patients with Schizophrenia and Depression?

Are there gender‐specific risk factors for suicidal activity among patients with schizophrenia and depression? A total of 74 schizophrenia patients (51 men, 23 women) and 77 unipolar nonpsychotic depressed patients (26 men, 51 women) from the Chicago Follow‐up Study were studied prospectively at 2 years posthospitalization and again at 7.5 years. Poor early posthospital global functioning is significantly associated with later suicidal activity only for men in both our schizophrenia and depressive samples. Early display of psychotic symptoms is associated with later suicidal activity among male schizophrenia patients. Early cognitive impairment is not significantly associated with later suicidal activity for any of the four groups of patients. The study results must be seen as exploratory and will hopefully spur future research on this important topic.     

Suicide in Films: The Impact of Suicide Portrayals on Nonsuicidal Viewers' Well‐Being and the Effectiveness of Censorship

The effects of suicide films on recipients' emotional and mental state, as well as the influence of censorship, was studied. Nonsuicidal subjects watched the original or a censored version of a suicide film or a drama without suicide. Data were collected by questionnaires. The viewing led to a deterioration of mood and an increase in inner tension and depression scores, but also to a rise in self‐esteem and life satisfaction and to a drop in suicidality. There were no relevant differences between the film groups. The more a subject identified with the protagonist, the greater were the negative effects.     

Connectedness and Suicide Prevention in Adolescents: Pathways and Implications

Adolescent suicide is a major public health concern. Stressing the need for public health–based solutions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified “connectedness” as one means of pursuing this agenda. To advance this effort in suicide prevention with adolescents, (1) consistencies and variation in the literature overtly linking connectedness to suicide thoughts and behaviors (STB) are reviewed, (2) three more specific mechanistic pathways are proposed whereby connectedness may influence STB, and (3) several implications related to use of connectedness as a public health framework for adolescent suicide prevention and intervention are outlined.     

Factors from Durkheim's Family Integration Related to Suicidal Ideation among Men with Histories of Child Sexual Abuse

Men who were sexually abused during childhood represent a highly stigmatized, marginalized population at risk for a variety of long‐term mental health problems. Using the family integration dimension of Durkheim's theory of suicide, factors associated with suicidal ideation among a purposive sample of 487 men with histories of child sexual abuse were examined. Four variables—length of cohabitation, maternal support after disclosure, parental divorce, and older age—were negatively related to suicidal ideation. The analysis provides partial support for Durkheim's model. Implications for education, clinical practice, and future research are presented.     

Measuring Associations of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Suicide Prevention Campaign on the Use of Crisis Support Services

Campaigns have become popular in public health approaches to suicide prevention; however, limited empirical investigation of their impact on behavior has been conducted. To address this gap, utilization patterns of crisis support services associated with the Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) suicide prevention campaign were examined. Daily call data for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, VCL, and 1‐800‐SUICIDE were modeled using a novel semi‐varying coefficient method. Analyses reveal significant increases in call volume to both targeted and broad resources during the campaign. Findings underscore the need for further research to refine measurement of the effects of these suicide prevention efforts.     

Identifying and Referring Youths at Risk for Suicide Following Participation in School‐Based Gatekeeper Training

Gatekeeper training is a core strategy of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Act of 2004. Using data gathered from school‐based gatekeeper trainings implemented by GLS grantees, this analysis examines training and gatekeeper factors associated with (1) identification and referral patterns and (2) services at‐risk youths receive. Time spent interacting with youths was positively correlated with the number of gatekeeper identifications and knowledge about service receipt. Gatekeepers who participated in longer trainings identified proportionately more at‐risk youths than participants in shorter trainings. Most gatekeeper trainees referred the identified youths to services regardless of training type.     

Awareness Effects of a Youth Suicide Prevention Media Campaign in Louisiana

Research on the efficacy of mediated suicide awareness campaigns is limited. The impacts of a state‐wide media campaign on call volumes to a national hotline were analyzed to determine if the advertisements have raised awareness of the hotline. We use a quasi‐experimental design to compare call volumes from ZIP codes where and when the campaign is active with those where and when the campaign is not active. Multilevel model estimates suggest that the campaign appears to have significantly and substantially increased calls to the hotline. Results from this study add evidence to the growing public health literature that suggests that mediated campaigns can be an effective tool for raising audience awareness.