The Impact of Suicidal Content in Popular Media on the Attitudes and Behaviors of Adolescents

The authors review the literature surrounding the impact of suicidal content in popular media on the attitudes & behaviours of adolescents to better understand the complex relationship between these phenomena. Suicide rates among adolescents are presented as an introduction to the main discussion of the influence of television media among adolescents & the incidence of violent content, the effects of suicidal content in television & music, & suicidal content in fictional media. Adolescent attitudes toward death & suicide are also described. The implications of research to date are discussed & recommendations are made for prevention strategies. (22 refs.)