Myths and Facts About Suicide From Individuals Involved in Suicide Prevention

Myth-busting, in which a so-called myth is presented & dispelled by facts, is used in suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings such as QPR. Evidence from other areas of public health show this technique leads to memory for myths & not facts. An internet survey was used to determine if the myths & facts presented in QPR are endorsed as such by the suicidology community & to determine if demographics influenced statement identification. Overall, statements did reflect the opinions of the suicidology community & any type of training increased correct identification. Future research should focus on whether myth-busting is an appropriate strategy for suicidology. (12 refs.) JA