Citation

De Leo D. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 30.

Affiliation

Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, QLD 4111, Brisbane, Australia. D.Deleo@mailbox.gu.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963879

Abstract

Social learning may be an important factor in both familial and non-familial transmission of suicidal behaviour. Effects of imitation largely depend on similarities between the stimulus and the potential imitator, with age, gender, ethnicity, and self-esteem being particularly important. An investigation on non-biological transmission of suicidal behaviours was conducted examining a number of large data sets, particularly the Queensland Suicide Register and the results from a community survey performed in the context of the WHO/Supre-Miss Study. Pooled data from the WHO/EURO Multi-centre Study on Suicidal Behaviour, and the Australian branch of the CASE study were also considered. Across all studies, it was revealed that suicidal behaviours among the respondents' social group were more important than previous studies had indicated. Notably, among community-dwelling suicide attempters from the WHO SUPRE-MISS study, transmission of non-fatal suicidal behaviour from social contacts occurred in 90% of cases. All examined datasets showed a significant increase in risk for suicidal behaviour associated with the exposure of others' suicidal behaviour, especially if deriving from peers. Surprisingly, both fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviours represented a similarly powerful source of potential imitation. The presentation will discuss the role of the model (fatal vs. non-fatal suicidal behaviour), gender, and age in non-genetic transmission of suicidal behaviours, and highlight opportunities for future prevention strategies.

Language: en