Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis
Abstract Background Assessment of the depiction of suicidal behavior in motion pictures would reveal the social representation of suicide that would foster suicide prevention in a country. Objectives We aimed to assess how suicidality has been depicted in Nepali movies by scrutinizing their contents...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Brain and Behavior |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.3366 |
| _version_ | 1797263369840885760 |
|---|---|
| author | Rakesh Singh Sharika Mahato Kritika Singh Niranjan Raman Puri Susma Baniya SM Yasir Arafat |
| author_facet | Rakesh Singh Sharika Mahato Kritika Singh Niranjan Raman Puri Susma Baniya SM Yasir Arafat |
| author_sort | Rakesh Singh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Assessment of the depiction of suicidal behavior in motion pictures would reveal the social representation of suicide that would foster suicide prevention in a country. Objectives We aimed to assess how suicidality has been depicted in Nepali movies by scrutinizing their contents against the sociodemographic checklist and WHO media guidelines for suicidal reporting. Methods This is a narrative quantitative analysis of suicidal behavior portrayals in the Nepali motion pictures that are publicly and freely accessible. Results Overall, out of the 573 scrutinized movies, we found ten movies consisting of 11 characters (i.e., the prevalence is 1.75%) showing suicidal behavior. The majority of suicidal behavior was seen in males 6 (54.5%), and the majority of attempters were students 3 (27.3%) or homemakers 2 (18.2%). Suicidal behavior was mostly observed in unmarried people 6 (54.5%). Hanging was the most prevalent method (45.5%), and home (36.4%) and public places (36.4%) were equally the most frequent places of attempt. The consequential risk factors for the attempts were found to be marital problems/premarital affairs (50%), followed by unfulfilled demand/conflict (30%). While all 11 items depicted the method and place of the attempt, two also depicted the complete scene of the attempt. One item used language that normalized suicide as a constructive solution to the problem. None of the pictures publicized any mental health messages or educated the public about suicide prevention. Conclusions The minimal adherence of the Nepali motion pictures on the depictions of suicidality with WHO media guidelines indicates urgent need to create awareness among the Nepali film fraternity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:34:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02eeb2edd3b3495baaa8751c62916ab5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2162-3279 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:11:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain and Behavior |
| spelling | doaj.art-02eeb2edd3b3495baaa8751c62916ab52024-03-13T10:15:39ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792024-01-01141n/an/a10.1002/brb3.3366Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysisRakesh Singh0Sharika Mahato1Kritika Singh2Niranjan Raman Puri3Susma Baniya4SM Yasir Arafat5Research Department Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal Kathmandu NepalMonitoring, Evaluation and Research Department Plan International Nepal Lalitpur NepalDepartment of Public Health National Open College Lalitpur NepalEmergency Department Patan Academy of Health Sciences Lalitpur NepalResearch Department Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal Kathmandu NepalDepartment of Psychiatry Enam Medical College and Hospital Dhaka BangladeshAbstract Background Assessment of the depiction of suicidal behavior in motion pictures would reveal the social representation of suicide that would foster suicide prevention in a country. Objectives We aimed to assess how suicidality has been depicted in Nepali movies by scrutinizing their contents against the sociodemographic checklist and WHO media guidelines for suicidal reporting. Methods This is a narrative quantitative analysis of suicidal behavior portrayals in the Nepali motion pictures that are publicly and freely accessible. Results Overall, out of the 573 scrutinized movies, we found ten movies consisting of 11 characters (i.e., the prevalence is 1.75%) showing suicidal behavior. The majority of suicidal behavior was seen in males 6 (54.5%), and the majority of attempters were students 3 (27.3%) or homemakers 2 (18.2%). Suicidal behavior was mostly observed in unmarried people 6 (54.5%). Hanging was the most prevalent method (45.5%), and home (36.4%) and public places (36.4%) were equally the most frequent places of attempt. The consequential risk factors for the attempts were found to be marital problems/premarital affairs (50%), followed by unfulfilled demand/conflict (30%). While all 11 items depicted the method and place of the attempt, two also depicted the complete scene of the attempt. One item used language that normalized suicide as a constructive solution to the problem. None of the pictures publicized any mental health messages or educated the public about suicide prevention. Conclusions The minimal adherence of the Nepali motion pictures on the depictions of suicidality with WHO media guidelines indicates urgent need to create awareness among the Nepali film fraternity.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.3366NepalNepali moviesuicidal behaviorsuicide |
| spellingShingle | Rakesh Singh Sharika Mahato Kritika Singh Niranjan Raman Puri Susma Baniya SM Yasir Arafat Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis Brain and Behavior Nepal Nepali movie suicidal behavior suicide |
| title | Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis |
| title_full | Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis |
| title_fullStr | Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis |
| title_short | Suicidal Behavior in Nepali motion pictures of three decades (1990–2020): A content analysis |
| title_sort | suicidal behavior in nepali motion pictures of three decades 1990 2020 a content analysis |
| topic | Nepal Nepali movie suicidal behavior suicide |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.3366 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rakeshsingh suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis AT sharikamahato suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis AT kritikasingh suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis AT niranjanramanpuri suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis AT susmabaniya suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis AT smyasirarafat suicidalbehaviorinnepalimotionpicturesofthreedecades19902020acontentanalysis |