Suicide and grief by suicide on Twitter

posts about deaths of public figures

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-8623.2024.1.40186

Keywords:

suicide, grief, social media, internet, famous person

Abstract

Qualitative approach study developed with the aim of analyze themes of Brazilian posts about suicide and grief related to the death of public figures by suicide. Data collection was performed on Twitter using the advanced search tool, resulting in 368 eligible posts published from 2009 to 2018. The contents of the posts were analyzed through Thematic Analysis. The results obtained were discussed through five categories: “Reactions and feelings expressed”, “Representations of public figures and risks for imitative behaviors”, “Grief over fictional characters”, “The need of prevention and postvention on Twitter” and “Grief over suicide on the Internet”. The study produced knowledge about patterns and variations related to emotional reactions, beliefs, attitudes, judgments, risks and protectives factors of the digital culture about suicide as well as the understanding of contradictions and unusual and relevant characteristics for the prevention and postvention of suicide on the Internet.

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Author Biographies

Laysa Fernanda Silva Pedrollo, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.

Master of Science from the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. PhD student in Sciences at the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Member of the Center for Education in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (CEPS) and researcher at the Laboratory for Studies and Research in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (LEPS).

Aline Conceição Silva, Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Centro Colaborador da OPAS/OMS para o Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa em Enfermagem, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil

PhD in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; with post-doctorate from the School of Nursing of Ribeirão Preto (EERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil and Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra (ESEnfC), Coimbra, Portugal. Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Deputy leader of the Center for Education in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (CEPS) and researcher at the Laboratory for Studies and Research in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (LEPS).

Ana Carolina Guidorizzi Zanetti, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.

PhD in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; with a postdoctoral degree in Nursing from the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada. PhD Professor, at the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.

Manoel Antonio dos Santos, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras (FFCLRP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.

PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Institute of Psychology from the University of São Paulo (USP), in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Full Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. scholarship holder Research Productivity (CNPq, PQ 1A). Leader of Teaching and Research Laboratory in Psychology at Health (LEPPS).

Kelly Graziani Giacchero Vedana, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.

PhD in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; with post-doctorate from the Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra (ESEnfC), in Coimbra, Portugal. Associate Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Leader of the Center for Education in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (CEPS) and the Laboratory for Studies and Research in Suicide Prevention and Postvention (LEPS).

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Published

2024-07-25

How to Cite

Fernanda Silva Pedrollo, L., Conceição Silva, A., Guidorizzi Zanetti, A. C., Antonio dos Santos, M., & Graziani Giacchero Vedana, K. (2024). Suicide and grief by suicide on Twitter: posts about deaths of public figures. Psico, 55(1), e40186. https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-8623.2024.1.40186