The Papageno effect: a type of suicide prevention

Teaching how to cope with discomfort and problems helps a lot to prevent suicide attempts.

It is probably well known that the broadcasting in the media of certain types of information facilitates the appearance of a call effect, increasing the probability of the emission of a behavior. This is visible, for example, in situations such as violence, certain crimes or suicide.

However, the opposite phenomenon also occurs: the emission of pro-social, positive or hopeful role models and life perspectives (as long as they are perceived as realistic and thought-provoking) also tends to generate a certain level of imitation that can have a preventive effect on certain behaviors.

The latter is what happens in the case of the so-called Papageno effectwhich we are going to talk about in this article.

Papageno effect: what is it?

It is denominated effect Papageno to the phenomenon by means of which the exhibition to models of conduct and to examples of people that initially have tried to take the life but that finally have renounced to this idea and have surpassed the crises, the anguish or the difficulties that caused them generate in the spectator a preventive effect of suicide.

This also occurs when, although no suicidal intention has been manifested, it is perceived that a person who has suffered great life difficulties or traumatic events similar to their own has managed to move forward and face the situation successfully and in a positive way.

It is about finding a reference, a model that shows that despite the difficulties, alternatives can always be found, something much more profound and understandable when it is perceived that the speaker has actually gone through a situation similar to his own and has managed to overcome it, sometimes even being able to help the viewer to generate his own coping strategies or to try to replicate the one shown in the media.

Although this phenomenon appears with the observation of examples of similar situations, the effect can be enhanced by the fact that the person who narrates it is credible and inspires confidence. cases of people who are references and with whom the subject feels some kind of identification.. In this sense, it can be useful to expose recognized and loved characters, idols and icons for the person in question.

However, it must be taken into account that it is also possible that if the person telling the story is a celebrity, it is also possible that the thought that there are differences between that person and the viewer (for example, economic capacity) may appear, and in this sense it may be more productive to broadcast cases with which the subject may have a greater identification.

The name of this effect comes from one of the main characters of The Magic Flute a humble man who, precisely during the play, tries to take his own life, but who is eventually persuaded by three spirits or goblins to give up his life. persuade him to abandon his attempt, showing him other alternatives and possibilities.and show him other alternatives and possibilities.

The important role of the media

The fact that the media has great power is something that is widely known, being something that throughout history has often been used both to help society (being an open window to the world around us and helping to propagate a flexible view of reality and prosocial values) and to obtain some kind of benefit or even to manipulate the population.

And it is not only the fact of displaying information, but how it is done or even the type of information that is broadcast, that can influence both directly and indirectly the way it is done. can influence both directly and indirectly our way of thinking..

In the case of the Papageno effect, it is essential to bear in mind that in order to awaken it, it is not enough to show only the fact that a person has not committed suicide, but what really protects and prevents suicide is the fact of showing how the subject has been able to overcome his or her difficulties. It is essential to focus on the existence of alternatives.

The reverse case: the Werther effect

Although the media have a powerful influence in preventing suicide, great caution must be exercised, great caution should be exercised with the type of cases that are broadcasted and how they are broadcasted.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, it has also been observed that the broadcasting of cases of completed suicide (especially in the case of people who are highly loved by society), can generate a facilitation of suicide in some people. This is the Werther effect.

It has always been important not to present suicide as something positive or as a means or to use sensationalism, and in the case of broadcasting cases of completed suicides, to limit the details (avoid the lurid, do not show images...), not to blame and not to use a moralistic stance.

Bibliographical references:

• Herrera, R.; Ures, M.B. and Martínez, J.J. (2015). The treatment of suicide in the Spanish press: Werther effect or Papageno effect? Rev.Asoc.Esp.Neuropsiq., 35 (125). 123-134.
• Niederkrotenthaler, T., Voracek, M., Herberth, A., Till, B., Strauss, M., Etzersdorfer, E., Eisenwort, B. & Sonneck, G. (2010). Role of media reports in completed and prevented suicide: Werther v. Papageno effects. Br J Psychiatry,197(3): 234-43.