Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
95658 Forensic Science International 2014 10 Pages PDF
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
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Analytical Chemistry
Authors
, ,