(PS9-D87) Development and Initial Validation of Novel Stimulus Set of Inclusive, Suicide-related Films: Effect of Racially Minoritized Identities on Affective Responses to Suicide Messaging

Rates of suicide are rising among young people (Curtin, 2020), especially in racialized groups (Platt et al., 2022). Research assessing affective processes underlying suicidal thoughts and behaviors could be useful to inform suicide prevention strategies. However, such research is limited by predominantly White samples and experimental stimuli featuring White characters. Current findings cannot necessarily be generalized to non-White samples, due to unique cultural/social experiences faced by racially minoritized people (Choi et al., 2009). The proposed poster reports a project to increase the inclusiveness of suicide prevention research. We will summarize (1) development and initial validation of a novel stimulus set of inclusive, suicide-related films for adolescents and young adults, and (2) initial findings on the validity of these films for minoritized participants. We expect minoritized participants to report stronger identification with minoritized characters, and that participant and film character race will interact to predict stronger affective responses when identities align.

Using existing documentary footage, we created 45 film clips featuring survivors of suicide attempts, stories of those bereaved by suicide, and re-enacted experiences before and after suicide attempts. In an ongoing study, 280 undergraduates to date (M_age= 19.07; 32.5% racially minoritized) have viewed a series of film clips, half of which featured racially minoritized characters. Procedures to enrich the final sample for minoritized participants are in place (expected proportion ~ 50%). After each film, participants reported their negative (e.g., sad, lonely, angry; negative affect (NA)) and positive (e.g., hopeful, loving, connected; positive affect (PA)) affect responses. They also rated the impact of the clip and how much they identified with it.

We ran a series of ANOVAS predicting responses to films from participant and character identities and their interaction. In the model predicting identification, a main effect of character emerged, such that all participants identified more with minoritized characters (F = 6.25, p = .013). In the model predicting impact ratings, no main effects or interactions emerged, such that all participants rated all films as impactful (M = 6.82). In the model predicting NA, a participant-x-character identity interaction emerged (F = 8.59, p = .003), such that minoritized participants reported lower NA when viewing minoritized characters. Post hoc analyses suggest this finding may be largely attributable to films with minoritized characters eliciting lower anger and loneliness in minoritized participants, compared to other participant-x-character combinations.

Overall, the film clips were emotionally evocative, with some universality in effects (e.g., in impact ratings). We found partial support for our prediction that alignment between minoritized participant and character identity would alter responses. However, the direction of effects suggests that minoritized participants found films with minoritized characters comforting. We provide initial evidence for the need for inclusivity in suicide prevention efforts by considering the identities and experiences of racialized groups.