Genuine and simulated suicide notes: An analysis of content

Maria Ioannou; Agata Debowska

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.10.035

Genuine and simulated suicide notes: An analysis of content

Forensic Sci Int. 2014 Dec:245:151-60. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.10.035. Epub 2014 Nov 1.

Authors

Maria Ioannou¹, Agata Debowska²

Affiliations

¹ International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology (IRCIP), University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK. Electronic address: m.ioannou@hud.ac.uk.
² International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology (IRCIP), University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.

PMID: 25447188
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.10.035

Abstract

The present study examined genuine and simulated suicide notes aiming to identify the measures of content that best differentiate between the two. Thirty-three genuine and thirty-three simulated suicide notes were content-analysed and data subjected to smallest space analysis (SSA), a Multidimensional Scaling Procedure. The core of all suicide notes was discovered to be constructed with the use of three variables: expressions of love, positive construction of partner and apologies. Furthermore, four different genuine suicide note themes ('planned escape', 'negative affect and self-mitigation', 'positive affect and failed relationship', 'lack of self-acceptance') and three simulated suicide note themes ('escape', 'positive affect and self-blame', 'purposeless life') were identified revealing that authentic suicide note themes were more internally consistent and clearer to interpret.

Keywords: Genuine suicide notes; MDS analysis; Simulated suicide notes; Suicide; Suicide notes.