Suicide and Suggestibility—The Role of the Press

The assertion that newspaper reporting of suicidal behavior precipitates suicide among suggestible readers was examined. The rates of suicide during periods of complete cessation of newspaper publishing in seven major cities were compared with the mean rates for the same calendar periods of the prior five years in each city. The sign test and signed-rank test revealed no significant change during the experimental periods. In one area (the island of Oahu) a significant change was noted in the direction contrary to the hypothesis tested.

The author agrees with others who have considered this question that whatever deleterious effect newspapers may exert on their readers stems more from the implied and expressed attitudes and value system than from news content.