| Abstract [eng] |
Suicide remains one of the most significant public health problems among young people worldwide. During adolescence, a period characterized by intensive emotional and identity development, cultural narratives and artistic works may become important sources for self-understanding and interpretation of emotional experiences. Despite growing interest in the effects of suicide portrayal in media, there is still a lack of research examining adolescents’ emotional reactions to suicide depiction in art, identification with fictional characters, and the associations of these processes with attitudes toward suicide. The aim of this study was to investigate young people’s emotional and cognitive reactions to artistic content, the portrayal of suicide in art, and the role of identification with suicidal narratives in shaping attitudes toward suicide. The objectives of the study were: 1) to evaluate young people’s exposure to artistic content and suicide portrayal in art; 2) to determine young people’s emotional and cognitive reactions to artistic content; 3) to evaluate the associations between identification with fictional characters and attitudes toward suicide; 4) to determine the significance of art impact and identification in predicting attitudes toward suicide. The study was conducted using a quantitative cross-sectional design and an anonymous online survey. A total of 2,189 respondents aged 16–19 years from Lithuanian secondary schools and gymnasiums participated in the study. Data were collected using an author- developed questionnaire based on theoretical assumptions related to narrative engagement, identification, and interpretation of suicide portrayal. Statistical analysis was performed using the jamovi software environment. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, chi-square tests, and independent samples t-tests were applied. The findings revealed that more than half of the respondents had encountered portrayals of suicide or self-harm in art. General art impact was significantly correlated with identification with experiences and characters depicted in artistic works, while identification was associated with more favorable attitudes toward suicide. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that identification was a stronger predictor of attitudes toward suicide than general art impact. Additionally, respondents who had experienced suicidal thoughts demonstrated stronger identification with suicidal content, higher perceived art impact, and more favorable attitudes toward suicide. The results suggest that the portrayal of suicide in art may be associated with young people’s emotional reactions, identification with fictional characters, and attitudes toward suicide. Identification processes may play a particularly important role as a potential mediating mechanism in the interpretation 5 of suicidal narratives. The findings highlight the importance of responsible suicide portrayal in cultural media and the need for further research on the psychological mechanisms related to the impact of suicidal content on youth audiences. |
