Suicide in Films: A Qualitative Study on the Impact of Suicide Portrayals in Fictional Films on Audiences

• In Event: Communication, Mental Health and Well-Being

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of two films concluding with the protagonist’s suicide on the viewers’ emotional well-being compared to censored versions of the films and a film concluding with the protagonist’s non-suicidal death with qualitative methods. Ten groups of 3-4 non-suicidal adults per group were randomly assigned to one of five test conditions. Data were collected with focus groups and analyzed via the documentary method. There were three predominant types of emotional reactions to all films: a deterioration of mood, concurrent positive and negative emotional reactions, or indifference. Furthermore, participants in all focus groups showed psychological defense mechanisms such as humor, denial, or intellectualization when discussing topics related to suicide or death. The findings suggest that audiences react differently to suicide films, and that psychological defense mechanisms may play a key factor in the processing of suicide portrayals in fictional films.

Author

• Benedikt Till, Medical U of Vienna, Center for Public Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine