The Stigma of Suicide Scale: Psychometric properties and correlates of the stigma of suicide

Background: There are presently no validated scales to adequately measure the stigma of suicide in the community. The Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS) is a new scale containing 58 descriptors of a “typical” person who completes suicide. Aims: To validate the SOSS as a tool for assessing stigma toward suicide, to examine the scale’s factor structure, and […]

Evaluation of an online suicide prevention program to improve suicide literacy and to reduce suicide stigma: A mixed methods study

Low-threshold e-health approaches in prevention to reduce suicide stigma are scarce. We developed an online program containing video reports on lived experience of suicide and evidence-based information on suicidality. We evaluated the program by a mixed methods design. We examined pre-post-changes of program completers (n = 268) in suicide literacy, suicide stigma (self and perceived), […]

The Personal Suicide Stigma Questionnaire (PSSQ): Relation to self-esteem, well-being, and help-seeking

Two studies are reported that extend the evidence base for use of the Personal Stigma of Suicide Questionnaire (PSSQ). In the first study (N = 117), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the WHO-5 measure of well-being, as well as measures of suicidality were examined in relation to the PSSQ. A self-selected sub-sample (N = 30) completed […]

Stigma as a barrier to suicide prevention e􀀀orts in Iran

Suicide and suicide attempt affect a considerable part of the general population, and in spite of their prevalence, the stigma associated with suicide remains an unsolved problem surrounding this important public health problem, especially in lower-income countries such as Iran. Evidence shows that help-seeking from formal mental health services for suicidal people is low in […]

What do we know about needs for help after suicide in different parts of the world? A phenomenological perspective

Background: “A person’s death is not only an ending: it is also a beginning – for the survivors. Indeed, in the case of suicide, the largest public health problem is neither the prevention of suicide (…), nor the management of attempts (…), but the alleviation of the effects of stress in the survivor-victims of suicidal deaths, […]

The attitudes of preclinical and clinical Turkish medical students toward suicide attempters

Background: Interest in studies of stigma toward patients with mental disorders is growing. Research on the attitudes of medical students toward suicide attempters does not exist; although as medical personnel, they will encounter suicide attempters in emergency rooms. Aims: We aimed to investigate the attitudes of preclinical and clinical medical students toward suicide attempters and to compare […]

Let it out: A digital communication campaign to reduce suicide and mental health stigma in Kentucky farmers

Given the disproportionately high suicide rate of farmers in Kentucky and the unique cultural needs of farmers, a coalition was created to reduce the stigma of seeking help for mental health. A targeted communications campaign was developed to provide information to farmers at risk. This paper describes the development and launch of the campaign, including […]

Ethical issues found in healthcare providers in suicide prevention in Indonesia

The suicide rate is increasing and gaining attention in several developed countries, but in most developing countries, it is often ignored. Society should have a valve that can withstand various problems that occur in the community. The valve is a family. There has been a deterioration in family function in recent years. The existence of […]

Statewide assessment of North Carolina nurse practitioners’ knowledge of and attitudes toward suicide awareness and prevention: Protocol for a statewide mixed methods study

Background: Suicide is a major public health problem, which affects people of all ages and ethnicities. Despite being preventable, the rates of suicide have steadily climbed (more than a third) over the past 2 decades. Objective: Nurse practitioners (NPs) must be responsible for recognizing suicide risk and providing appropriate treatment referrals in addition to having […]

Psychometric properties of two Arabic Suicide Scales: Stigma and literacy

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death. Suicide stigma and literacy may affect the rate of suicide and help-seeking behaviors. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Stigma of Suicide Scale-short form (SOSS-SF) and Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS). The sample included 160 Jordanian university students. Reliability analysis showed acceptable Cronbach’s […]

Literacy and stigma of suicide among medical students of Bangladesh: Status and associated factors

Background: Literacy and stigma of suicide have been poorly assessed across the groups in Bangladesh even though they affect help-seeking behavior and have an enduring effect on suicide prevention. Objectives: We aimed to determine the status of literacy and stigma of suicide along with associated factors among medical students of Bangladesh. Methods: This study was […]

Media coverage of Canadian Veterans, with a focus on post traumatic stress disorder and suicide

Background A large corpus of research indicates that the media plays a key role in shaping public beliefs, opinions and attitudes towards social groups. Some research from the United States indicates that military Veterans are sometimes framed in a stereotypical and stigmatizing manner, however there is a lack of research on Canadian media coverage of […]

Exploring sociodemographic correlates of suicide stigma in Australia: Baseline cross-sectional survey findings from the Life-Span suicide prevention trial studies

The risk of suicidal behaviour in Australia varies by age, sex, sexual preference and Indigenous status. Suicide stigma is known to affect suicide rates and help-seeking for suicidal crises. The aim of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic correlates of suicide stigma to assist in prevention efforts. We surveyed community members and individuals who […]

Effects of context on perceptions of the language of suicide

Objective. There is concern regarding use of the phrase ‘committed suicide’, given its connotations of immorality. Limited research has examined influences on people’s use of this phrase. The current studies examined whether portraying a suicide as highly immoral affects perceptions of the phrase ‘committed suicide’. Method. Undergraduate participants in western Canada read a suicide vignette in […]

Level and associated factors of literacy and stigma of suicide among Bangladeshi physicians: A cross-sectional assessment

Objectives. Literacy and stigma of suicide among doctors affect health-service delivery for persons with suicidal behavior. However, no attempt has been identified to assess those among physicians in Bangladesh. We aimed to determine the level and associated factors of suicide literacy and stigma toward suicide among physicians in Bangladesh. Methods. We collected data from 203 physicians in February […]

Mental health literacy regarding depression and suicide

Introduction: Mental health literacy enables individuals to recognize the symptoms associated with mental illness, and thus adjust their behavior to manage and seek help and treatment for mental illness. Aims: The present research aims to study determinants of mental health literacy and whether an association exists between mental health literacy and the understanding of content […]

Stigma and determinant factors among patients with mental disorders: Institution-based cross-sectional study

Objectives: To assess prevalence and its associated factors of perceived stigma among patients with mental disorders who had appointment for treatment at Debre Markos, Finote Selam, and Felege Hiwot Hospitals, Ethiopia, 2019. Methods: At selected hospitals in the Amhara Region, an institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 February to 1 March 2019. Participants were […]

Reducing suicide-related stigma through peer-to-peer school-based suicide prevention programming

Youth suicide rates have consistently risen over the past decade, and stigma related to mental health may create a barrier to young people seeking help. Schools are a common intercept point for mental health and suicide prevention programming. Hope Squad, a school-based, peer-to-peer, suicide prevention program, uses trained and mentored students nominated by their peers […]

Anticipated suicide stigma, secrecy, and suicidality among suicide attempt survivors

Objective Suicidal behavior is stigmatized, and suicide attempt survivors often keep their experiences secret. Although secrecy can protect from discrimination, research from related fields suggests that both the experience of stigma and secrecy can contribute to suicidality. Although suicide attempt survivors are at high risk for reattempt, research investigating the link between suicide stigma and […]

Public stigma toward persons with suicidal thoughts: Do age, sex, and medical condition of affected persons matter?

Objective Suicidal persons often face public stigmatization which affects help-seeking behavior and may lead to an additional suicide risk. There is not much known about differences in stigmatizing attitudes concerning characteristics of affected persons. The present study investigates public stigma toward suicidal persons in Germany by focussing on differences concerning sex, age, and medical condition […]

Self-stigma toward nonsuicidal self-injury: An examination of implicit and explicit attitudes

Objective Evidence suggests that individuals without a history of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are likely to view NSSI as a stigmatized behavior. However, there is limited evidence evaluating the presence of self-stigma among individuals who have engaged in NSSI. Methods We recruited a university sample (n = 351) and employed implicit and explicit measures to examine the degree […]

Does self-esteem inflation mitigate mortality salience effects on suicide attitudes?

Introduction Suicide stigma is a major barrier to prevention and intervention efforts. Using terror management theory as the guiding framework, the present study examined whether enhancing self-esteem would buffer against suicide stigma and lead to prosocial attitudes and behavior. Methods Experimental methods were utilized in the present study. After being primed with death-related thoughts, participants […]

Perceived social stigma, self-concealment, and suicide risk among North Korean refugee women exposed to traumatic events

Introduction Suicide among North Korean (NK) refugee women is one of the most concerning public health problems in South Korea. Pre-resettlement trauma exposure and post-resettlement factors can contribute to suicide risk among NK refugee women; however, few studies have explored these associations. Methods This study aimed to assess suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among NK […]