@article{ref1,
title="Beneficial and harmful effects of educative suicide prevention websites: randomised controlled trial exploring Papageno v. Werther effects",
journal="British journal of psychiatry",
year="2017",
author="Till, Benedikt and Tran, Ulrich S. and Voracek, Martin and Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas",
volume="211",
number="2",
pages="109-115",
abstract="BackgroundSuicide prevention organisations frequently use websites to educate the public, but evaluations of these websites are lacking.AimsTo examine the effects of educative websites and the moderating effect of participant vulnerability.<br><br>METHODA total of 161 adults were randomised to either view an educative website on suicide prevention or an unrelated website in a single-blinded randomised controlled trial (trial registration with the American Economic Association's registry: RCT-ID: 000924). The primary outcome was suicidal ideation; secondary outcomes were mood, suicide-prevention-related knowledge and attitudes towards suicide/seeking professional help. Data were collected using questionnaires before (T1), immediately after exposure (T2), and 1 week after exposure (T3) and analysed using linear mixed models.<br><br>RESULTSNo significant intervention effect was identified for the entire intervention group with regard to suicidal ideation, but a significant and sustained increase in suicide-prevention-related knowledge (T3v. T1, P<0.001, d = 1.12, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.28) and a non-sustained worsening of mood (P<0.001, T2v. T1, d = -0.59, -0.75 to -0.43) were observed. Participants with increased vulnerability experienced a partially sustained reduction of suicidal ideation (T3v. T1, P<0.001, d = -0.34, -0.50 to -0.19).<br><br>CONCLUSIONSEducative professional suicide prevention websites appeared to increase suicide-prevention-related knowledge, and among vulnerable individuals website exposure may be associated with a reduction of suicidal ideation.<br><br>© The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0007-1250",
doi="10.1192/bjp.bp.115.177394",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.115.177394"
}