Resource Tag: SUICIDE NOTES

Historically, suicide risk assessment has relied on question-&-answer tools. These tools, built on psychometric advances, are widely used because of availability. Yet there is no known tool based on biologic & cognitive evidence. This absence often causes a vexing clinical problem for clinicians who question the value of the result as time passes. This paper […]

This book highlights theoretical & methdological challenges in suicidology. The contributions that each of the major disciplines have made are discussed & an overview of research & theories in some typical areas is provided. Drawing from this, specific recommendations are made as to what can be done in the future to advance knowledge of suicide […]

This research used content analysis to analyze 225 murder suicide events among dyads with at least one member 60 years or older. Data were collected from newspaper articles, television news transcripts, police reports, & obituaries published between 1999-2005. Findings suggest the most danger setting was the home & the majority of perpetrators were men. Firearms […]

This article examines the influence that the suicide of Robert Seymour, an illustrator, had upon Charles Dickens & the development of “The Pickwick Papers”. {35 notes)

This study examined firearm suicides in Istanbul, occuring during 1998-2007. 36,971 autopsy reports were retrospectively reviewed. 73 suicides by shotgun were evaluated. 46 victims were male & 27 were female. Most victims were between 16-20 years. The majority of suicides occurred in the home & a suicide note was recovered in 7 cases. Ethyl alcohol […]

This paper presents the authors’ second attempt to determine the role of computational algorithms in understanding a suicidal patient’s thoughts as represented by suicide notes. It was hypothesized that machine learning algorithms can categorize suicide notes as well as mental health professionals & psychiatric trainees do. 33 notes from suicide victims were matched to 33 […]

Edwin S. Shneidman was a father of contemporary suicidology & his work reflected an intensive study of suicide. His contributions are some of the essential studies in the field. The works can be divided into 5 parts: definitional & theoretical; suicide notes; administrative & programmatic; clinical & community; & psychological & postvention. This paper explicates […]

With new understanding of the mind’s potential, it is possible now to examine forensic documents such as ransom notes or suicide letters for unconscious communication to determine true motivation & intent. For example, O. J. Simpson’s alleged suicide letter offers a sterling opportunity to apply this new appreciation of the human mind to determine his […]

This research investigated broad interpersonal themes related to suicide as revealed through suicides notes. This study was a qualitative investigation of suicide notes written by 138 individuals who died by suicide. Grounded theory analysis revealed 7 interpersonal themes: instructions; positive relationships; explanations; relationship reconciliation/maintenance; concern for others; negative relationships; & acknowledging end of relationship. These […]

To examines whether suicide victims who wrote notes differ from those who did not, the authors investigated the characteristics of a sample of more than 5000 Japanese suicides using multiple logistic regression analysis. The mean incidence of note writers was 30.1%. Note writers had the following characteristics: higher proportion of females, those living alone, & […]

The authors propose a reciprocity-based theory to explain suicides associated with relationship problems. Employing a content analysis of suicide notes, the theory was tested. Evidence was found of exploitation, exploiter guilt, retaliation, & retreat as motives for relationship-based suicide. Reciprocity-based note writers were more likely to have used alcohol or drugs in the hours prior […]

Using 10 years of cases from Summit County, Ohio, suicide victims who left notes were compared with those who did not leave notes. The 2 groups were compared on 40 variables including sociodemographic characteristics, reported affect before death, precipitating events, physical & mental health status & care, & method of suicide. The only differences found […]

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In a sample of suicide notes from 34 adolescents, ages 14-18 years, younger adolescents reported more social isolation from their families than did the older adolescents. Male adolescents less often reported feelings of isolation from family members than did female adolescents. (1 ref.)

A sample of 40 suicide notes were analyzed for motivational content in relation to an existential-constructivist theory of suicide. Results generally supported the 4 theoretical categories of somatic, relational, spiritual, & psychological motivations, with 39 notes having content that could be classified according to these categories. Psychological motivations were found to be the most prevalent, […]

This paper argues that social identities can, to a certain extent, be constructed post-mortem & in the absence of a living body. The authors make this case with reference to a sociological autopsy study of a hundred suicide case files in a coroner’s office in a medium-sized British city. The research draws on ethnographic approaches […]

This study investigated suicide notes drawn from Mexico & the United States as these countries share geographical proximity, but markedly different cultures & suicide rates. A theoretical conceptual analysis of 102 suicide notes, matched for age & gender, was undertaken based on a thematic model of suicide developed by Leenaars across countries. The inter-judge reliability […]

Human Language Technology Conference, 2008, Columbus, Ohio

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All cases referred to the Medical Examiner’s Office at the Medical University of South Carolina from 1988-1997 were reviewed. There were 78 cases of suicide in victims 65 years & older. The ages of these victims ranged from 65 to 94 years. Men comprised 85% of cases, & whites, 94%. The male-to-female & white-to-black ratios […]

Living wills are often considered by physicians who are faced with a dying patient. Although popular with the general public, problems of authenticity & authority remain. There is little consensus on what spectrum of instruments constitutes a binding advance directive in real life. In this article, a panel of experts consider whether a suicide note […]

It was hypothesized there was a significant relation between suicide rate & note-leaving rate & that the incidence of note-leaving was increased during a prolonged economic recession. During 1981-2001 in Kobe, Japan there were 5161 suicides. For each year, annual suicide rates & note-leaving rates were calculated. In spite of the prolonged economic slump, the […]