Movie suicides rise in line with real life

DEPICTIONS of explicit and graphic suicides in movies tripled from 1950 to 2006, according to an analysis of top-grossing films.

The report found no difference between PG-13 and R-rated films in the most explicit portrayals of suicide.

Lead author Patrick Jamieson said that although it is impossible to establish a causal connection, the tripling of US teen suicide since 1960 has coincided with the increase in movie suicide portrayals. The results, based on an analysis of 855 top-grossing films, indicate the need for further study of the effects of movie suicides on adolescent audiences, the authors concluded.