scholarly journals A Qualitative Analysis of Self-Harm and Suicide in Sri Lankan Printed Newspapers

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jane Brandt Sørensen ◽  
Melissa Pearson ◽  
Gregory Armstrong ◽  
Martin Wolf Andersen ◽  
Manjula Weerasinghe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Middle Income Country ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Self Harm

Abstract. Background: Media reporting may influence suicidal behavior. In-depth exploration of how self-harm and suicide are portrayed in newspaper articles in a middle-income country such as Sri Lanka is lacking. Aims: We aimed to explore how self-harm and suicide are portrayed in Sri Lankan printed newspapers. Method: Seven English- and Sinhala-language Sri Lankan newspapers were screened for articles reporting on self-harm and suicide (December 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015). A thematic analysis was conducted. Results: In the 78 articles identified for analysis, certain aspects were overemphasized (inappropriate behavior) and others underemphasized (alcohol and complexities of self-harm). Explanations of self-harm were one-sided and a suicide prevention narrative was lacking. Limitations: Another time-frame and inclusion of Tamil newspapers as well as social media and online publications would provide additional understanding. Conclusion: The study found an indication of simplistic reporting. Greater focus on prevention and a nuanced portrayal of self-harm could reduce stigma and imitative behavior.

scholarly journals Self-harm and social media: thematic analysis of images posted on three social media sites

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e027006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Shanahan ◽  
Cathy Brennan ◽  
Allan House
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Explicit Representation ◽  
Visual Content ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Self Harm

ObjectivesTo explore the nature of images tagged as self-harm on popular social media sites and what this might tell us about how these sites are used.DesignA visual content and thematic analysis of a sample of 602 images captured from Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.ResultsOver half the images tagged as self-harm had no explicit representation of self-harm. Where there was explicit representation, self-injury was the most common; none of these portrayed images of graphic or shocking self-injury. None of the images we captured specifically encouraged self-harm or suicide and there was no image that could be construed as sensationalising self-harm.Four themes were found across the images: communicating distress, addiction and recovery, gender and the female body, identity and belonging.ConclusionsFindings suggest that clinicians should not be overly anxious about what is being posted on social media. Although we found a very few posts suggesting self-injury was attractive, there were no posts that could be viewed as actively encouraging others to self-harm. Rather, the sites were being used to express difficult emotions in a variety of creative ways, offering inspiration to others through the form of texts or shared messages about recovery.

scholarly journals Mediating Tragedy: Facebook, Aboriginal Peoples and Suicide

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Lee Carlson ◽  
Terri Farrelly ◽  
Ryan Frazer ◽  
Fiona Borthwick
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
National Study ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Intervention ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Suicide Prevention Programs

Some Australian Aboriginal communities experience suicide rates that are among the highest in the world. They are also, however, avid social media users—approximately 20% higher than the national average. This article presents some preliminary findings from a current national study, funded by the Australian Research Council, titled Aboriginal identity and community online: a sociological exploration of Aboriginal peoples’ use of online social media. The purpose of the study is to gain insights into how Aboriginal peoples utilise and interact on social media, and how these technologies can assist with suicide prevention strategies. It found that Aboriginal people are engaging with Facebook to both seek and offer help for issues relating to suicide and self-harm. An existing continuum of suicide prevention strategies was evident—from light emotional support to direct suicide intervention involving health services. These strategies can be leveraged to implement effective and appropriate suicide prevention programs.

scholarly journals A qualitative exploration of stigma experience and inclusion among adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability in an Indonesian context

2021 ◽  
pp. 174462952110023
Author(s):  
Restu Handoyo ◽  
Afia Ali ◽  
Katrina Scior ◽  
Angela Hassiotis
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Middle Income Country ◽  
Interview Schedule ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Moderate Intellectual Disability ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Background: People with intellectual disability are among the most stigmatised groups in society. There is a paucity of studies reporting on how stigma is experienced in low- and middle-income countries. This study aims to explore the experience of stigma among adults with mild/moderate intellectual disability and the extent of their inclusion in Indonesian society. Method: Fifteen adults with mild/moderate intellectual disability were purposively recruited from three service providers and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings suggest that adults with intellectual disability experience stigma in multiple settings (family, school, community), have limited access to social activities, and internalised the experienced stigma. Conclusion: This study adds to the international understanding of stigma experienced by adults with mild/moderate intellectual disability in daily life and their inclusion in society in a middle-income country.

scholarly journals Examining the Self-Harm and Suicide Contagion Effects of the Blue Whale Challenge on YouTube and Twitter: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amro Khasawneh ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
Emma Dixon ◽  
Pamela Wiśniewski ◽  
Heidi Zinzow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Contagion Effects ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Contagion Risk

BACKGROUND Research suggests that direct exposure to suicidal behaviors and acts of self-harm through social media may increase suicidality through imitation and modeling, particularly in more vulnerable populations. One example of a social media phenomenon that demonstrates how self-harming behavior could potentially be propagated is the blue whale challenge. In this challenge, adolescents and young adults are encouraged to engage in self-harm and eventually kill themselves. OBJECTIVE This paper aimed to investigate the way individuals portray the blue whale challenge on social media, with an emphasis on factors that could pose a risk to vulnerable populations. METHODS We first used a thematic analysis approach to code 60 publicly posted YouTube videos, 1112 comments on those videos, and 150 Twitter posts that explicitly referenced the blue whale challenge. We then deductively coded the YouTube videos based on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) safe messaging guidelines as a metric for the contagion risk associated with each video. RESULTS The thematic analysis revealed that social media users post about the blue whale challenge to raise awareness and discourage participation, express sorrow for the participants, criticize the participants, or describe a relevant experience. The deductive coding of the YouTube videos showed that most of the videos violated at least 50% of the SPRC safe and effective messaging guidelines. CONCLUSIONS These posts might have the problematic effect of normalizing the blue whale challenge through repeated exposure, modeling, and reinforcement of self-harming and suicidal behaviors, especially among vulnerable populations such as adolescents. More effort is needed to educate social media users and content generators on safe messaging guidelines and factors that encourage versus discourage contagion effects.

scholarly journals Examining the Self-Harm and Suicide Contagion Effects of the Blue Whale Challenge on YouTube and Twitter: Qualitative Study

10.2196/15973 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. e15973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amro Khasawneh ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
Emma Dixon ◽  
Pamela Wiśniewski ◽  
Heidi Zinzow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Contagion Effects ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Contagion Risk

Background Research suggests that direct exposure to suicidal behaviors and acts of self-harm through social media may increase suicidality through imitation and modeling, particularly in more vulnerable populations. One example of a social media phenomenon that demonstrates how self-harming behavior could potentially be propagated is the blue whale challenge. Objective This paper aimed to investigate the way individuals portray the blue whale challenge on social media, with an emphasis on factors that could pose a risk to vulnerable populations. Methods We first used a thematic analysis approach to code 60 publicly posted YouTube videos, 1112 comments on those videos, and 150 Twitter posts that explicitly referenced the blue whale challenge. We then deductively coded the YouTube videos based on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) safe messaging guidelines as a metric for the contagion risk associated with each video. Results The thematic analysis revealed that social media users post about the blue whale challenge to raise awareness and discourage participation, express sorrow for the participants, criticize the participants, or describe a relevant experience. The deductive coding of the YouTube videos showed that most of the videos violated at least 50% of the SPRC safe and effective messaging guidelines. Conclusions These posts might have the problematic effect of normalizing the blue whale challenge through repeated exposure, modeling, and reinforcement of self-harming and suicidal behaviors, especially among vulnerable populations such as adolescents. More effort is needed to educate social media users and content generators on safe messaging guidelines and factors that encourage versus discourage contagion effects.

scholarly journals Media Representations of Science during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of News and Social Media on the Island of Ireland

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9542
Author(s):  
Cliodhna O’Connor ◽  
Nicola O’Connell ◽  
Emma Burke ◽  
Ann Nolan ◽  
Martin Dempster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Media Representations ◽  
Images Of Scientists ◽  
Scientific Expertise ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Communication Challenge

COVID-19 is arguably the most critical science communication challenge of a generation, yet comes in the wake of a purported populist turn against scientific expertise in western societies. This study advances understanding of science–society relations during the COVID-19 pandemic by analysing how science was represented in news and social media coverage of COVID-19 on the island of Ireland. Thematic analysis was performed on a dataset comprising 952 news articles and 603 tweets published between 1 January and 31 May 2020. Three themes characterised the range of meanings attached to science: ‘Defining science: Its subjects, practice and process’, ‘Relating to science: Between veneration and suspicion’ and ‘Using science: As solution, policy and rhetoric’. The analysis suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic represented a platform to highlight the value, philosophy, process and day-to-day activity of scientific research. However, the study also identified risks the pandemic might pose to science communication, including feeding public alienation by disparaging lay understandings, reinforcing stereotypical images of scientists, and amplifying the politicisation of scientific statements.

Suicide Prevention in the Western Pacific Region

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S80-S98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Pirkis ◽  
Stephane Amadeo ◽  
Annette Beautrais ◽  
Michael Phillips ◽  
Paul S. F. Yip
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
International Association ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
World Health ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Western Pacific Region ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Adequate Funding ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Prevention Activities

Abstract. This chapter draws on internationally available data to describe the epidemiology of suicide and self-harm in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region. It then describes the suicide prevention activities in the region, using in-depth case studies to highlight some key suicide prevention activities in certain countries/areas and the Global Survey on Suicide Prevention conducted in 2013 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and WHO. It demonstrates that there is considerable variability both between and within low and middle income countries and high income countries, both in terms of rates of suicide and self-harm and in terms of the preventive efforts that have been mobilised to address them. Adequate funding for suicide prevention efforts in the region should be a priority, as should the delivery of a range of suicide prevention approaches. Evaluation and monitoring efforts are also crucial.

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