Emotional Impact of a Video‐Based Suicide Prevention Program on Suicidal Viewers and Suicide Survivors

In light of continuing concerns about iatrogenic effects associated with suicide prevention efforts utilizing video‐based media, the impact of emotionally‐charged videos on two vulnerable subgroups—suicidal viewers and suicide survivors—was explored. Following participation in routine suicide education as a part of the U.S. Air Force Suicide Prevention Program's video‐based community briefing, a sample of young active duty airmen demonstrated small decreases in positive emotional states and larger decreases in negative emotional states, especially among suicidal females. No evidence of iatrogenic effects were observed among suicidal or survivor subgroups when compared to controls. Results support the use of video‐based media as a safe educational strategy that might actually serve to decrease emotional distress among vulnerable subgroups.     

Personality Projection on Culturally Structured Symbols

To investigate whether the characteristics of the recently developed Stanford Preschool Internal-External Scale (SPIES; Mischel, Zeiss, &; Zeiss, 1974) would remain stable for older children of apparently different socioeconomic status than the normative sample, the SPIES was administered to 104 kindergarteners of essentially middle class background in an ordinary elementary school. The findings indicate that the SPIES may be useful in research on perceived locus of control in kindergarteners as well as preschool children.