6 - (IOP 8) Novel Suicide Film Stimuli for Inclusive Research in Young People: Assessing Emotional Impact Based on Suicide Ideation History

One in five young people considers suicide. To better understand the nature and progression of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), affective suicidology research requires the development of suicide-related stimuli, including validated film clips. Currently, there is a lack of validated suicide-related film stimuli available for affective research, and existing research has systematically excluded marginalized populations, thereby limiting the generalizability of findings and restricting their applicability to public health initiatives. This project aimed to develop and preliminarily characterize the films and assess differential impact based on prior suicide histories.
Using found footage with a suicide prevention focus (e.g., public service announcements, documentaries), we created 45 film clips (30-180 seconds long). Footage featured, for example, survivors discussing suicide attempts, stories of those bereaved by suicide, and re-enacted experiences before and after suicide attempts. Half of clips featured a minoritized main character (e.g., racialized or sexual/gender minority-identified). Reactions to films were assessed in a diverse, college-aged sample (N = 518; Mage = 19.11 years, 77% self-identified women, 65% heterosexual, 48% BIPOC). Each participant watched five films in a cross-classified design, and each film was watched by approximately fifty-seven participants. Following each video, participants used a 1-9 Likert-type scale to rate their emotion reactions to the films that were negative (e.g., anger, anxiety, loneliness, guilt/shame) and positive (e.g., hope, love, social connectedness). We used multilevel modelling to examine the impact of suicide ideation history on responses to the film, accounting for the cross-classified design. Those with a history of suicide ideation reported higher anxiety (b=.81, p< .001), loneliness (b=1.08, p< .001), envy (b=.36, p< .001), anger (b=.40, p=.01), guilt/shame (b=.74, p< .001), and identification with films (b=1.18, p< .001). Interestingly, compared to those without suicide ideation history, those with suicide ideation history reported that films had a lower impact on them (b=-.30, p=.03). Findings suggest that our novel film stimuli are more emotionally evocative but may not be perceived as equally impactful by those who have with suicide ideation history. This has implications for the study of affective suicidology, and for informing suicide prevention campaigns.