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The article discusses the controversy surrounding the TV series "13 Reasons Why" and its potential impact on adolescent suicide rates. The series, which portrays the suicide of a teenage girl and the factors that led to it, received criticism from suicide prevention organizations for its potential to trigger contagion effects. Several studies have reported detrimental effects of the series on suicide rates, suicide attempts, self-harm presentations, and suicidal ideation among young people. The article responds to a critique of these studies, arguing that the critique did not provide valid evidence to cast doubt on the previous findings. The authors emphasize the need for entertainment media to follow best practices in suicide portrayals and raise awareness about their role in suicide prevention. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess associations of various content areas of Twitter posts with help-seeking from the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) and with suicides. Methods: We retrieved 7,150,610 suicide-related tweets geolocated to the United States and posted between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018. Using a specially devised machine-learning approach, we categorized posts into content about prevention, suicide awareness, personal suicidal ideation without coping, personal coping and recovery, suicide cases and other. We then applied seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average analyses to assess associations of tweet categories with daily calls to the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) and suicides on the same day. We hypothesized that coping-related and prevention-related tweets are associated with greater help-seeking and potentially fewer suicides. Results: The percentage of posts per category was 15.4% (standard deviation: 7.6%) for awareness, 13.8% (standard deviation: 9.4%) for prevention, 12.3% (standard deviation: 9.1%) for suicide cases, 2.4% (standard deviation: 2.1%) for suicidal ideation without coping and 0.8% (standard deviation: 1.7%) for coping posts. Tweets about prevention were positively associated with Lifeline calls (B = 1.94, SE = 0.73, p = 0.008) and negatively associated with suicides (B = −0.11, standard error = 0.05, p = 0.038). Total number of tweets were negatively associated with calls (B = −0.01, standard error = 0.0003, p = 0.007) and positively associated with suicide, (B = 6.4 × 10−5, standard error = 2.6 × 10−5, p = 0.015). Conclusion: This is the first large-scale study to suggest that daily volume of specific suicide-prevention-related social media content on Twitter corresponds to higher daily levels of help-seeking behaviour and lower daily number of suicide deaths. Preregistration: As Predicted, #66922, 26 May 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men convicted of rape are a heterogenous group among individuals with sexual offending history. This may contribute to the difficulty of establishing adequate treatment during institutionalization and preventing recidivism after release. Therefore, we aimed to identify an empirical typology of individuals convicted of rape based on (a) common criminological variables (age at first offense, number of prior convictions, relation to the victim), (b) offense behavior (alcoholization during the offense) and (c) clinical diagnoses (substance abuse and dependence, psychopathy, sexual sadism, Cluster B personality disorders, paraphilias, paraphilia-related disorders) associated with the risk of sexual offending. Data of N = 575 adult males with raping history were analyzed. We found four types with different profiles in the described variables: an antisocial impulsive, a sexualized, a highly violent and a non-criminal situational type. The types significantly varied in prognostic validity for violent, but not sexual, recidivism. Also, the typology exhibited a slightly higher predictive validity for violent recidivism than Static-99 scores. In contrast to Static-99, the typology failed to significantly predict sexual recidivism. Although the types explained more variance of violent recidivism than Static-99 scores, the value of applying a broad set of risk factors in contrast to combining only few are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meta-analyses suggest that mindfulness interventions have positive effects on mental health. Yet, how mindfulness interventions exert their effects is still largely unknown. Self-reported mindfulness may partially mediate the association between mindfulness interventions and change in self-reported mental health. We present the results of a novel application of three-level meta-analysis on the pre–post intervention data of 146 RCTs of mindfulness interventions (total N = 10,979), probing the efficacy of a broad range of mindfulness interventions and meditation training against active, treatment-as-usual (TAU), and wait-list control groups. We found that self-reported mindfulness not only increased in mindfulness interventions (d = 0.54, 95% CI [0.47, 0.61]), but also in active (nonmindfulness) controls (d = 0.27 [0.18, 0.36]) and wait-list controls (d = 0.10 [0.04, 0.17]; but not TAU controls: d = 0.04 [−0.03, 0.12]). In addition, change in mindfulness accounted for change in self-reported mental health (mindfulness interventions: d = 0.65 [0.57, 0.73]; active controls: d = 0.49 [0.36, 0.62]; TAU controls: d = 0.20 [0.12, 0.29]; wait-list controls: d = 0.22 [0.14, 0.30]) in all treatment and control groups alike. Thus, self-reported mindfulness apparently is no unique mediator of mindfulness interventions. It may either be more universal, merely a correlate of self-reported mental health, or both. Research should focus on the common denominator of mindfulness interventions and clinically relevant constructs with which self-reported mindfulness shares some of its characteristics. Limitations pertain to the indirect evidence of the three-level meta-analytic approach, the self-report nature of the data, and small-study effects, which suggest the presence of publication bias. The risk of bias may have led to the overestimation of effects and results could further be subjected to effects of shared method variance. Public Significance Statement: This meta-analysis suggests that increases in self-reported mindfulness may explain the treatment efficacy of various mindfulness-based interventions, but also of nonmindfulness-based controls. Self-reported mindfulness thus may be no unique mediator of the effects of mindfulness interventions. The current evidence leaves open whether self-reported mindfulness might be a universal mediator of treatment effects, merely reflects changes of self-reported mental health in general, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media stories featuring stories of personal experiences of coping with suicidal ideation have been shown to decrease suicide risk, but it is unclear whether more impersonal awareness materials have similar effects. This study aimed to test the impact of impersonal educative news articles featuring interviews with suicide prevention experts. Because the impact of news articles may be determined by the articles' pull quotes and headlines, we also aimed to compare the impact of two versions of the same suicide prevention news article. One version featured headlines and pull quotes highlighting the message that suicide is preventable, whereas the other version focused on the message that suicide is prevalent. In a web-based randomized controlled trial, n = 425 participants either read a news article featuring a prevention expert with one of the above versions of the same text or an article unrelated to suicide. Data on suicidal ideation, stigmatizing attitudes toward suicidal individuals, policy attitudes toward suicide prevention, help-seeking intentions, and assumptions on the prevalence of suicide-related behavior were measured with questionnaires. The assumed prevalence of suicide in the population was greater in both intervention groups than in the control group, but the articles did not have an impact on other outcomes, and there were no differences for variations in headlines and pull quotes. Impersonal suicide prevention articles appear safe to use and do not have an impact on suicide risk factors in general population samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, two major American icons, in a span of days in June 2018 represent a unique and tragic natural experiment to characterize associations with actual suicides in the aftermath of celebrity suicides. The aim of this study was to identify changes in suicide counts after their deaths. Methods: Suicide data were obtained from the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public-use mortality file. A time-series analysis was performed, examining monthly suicide data by age group (⩽19, 20–44, 45–64 and ⩾65 years), for both men and women, for all suicide methods and for hanging versus non-hanging methods, from January 1999 to December 2018. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving-average models were fitted to the pre-June 2018 period, estimating suicides in subsequent months and identifying deviations from expected values. The volume of Twitter posts about Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain was used as a proxy of societal attention. Results: Tweets about the celebrities were mainly concentrated in June 2018 and faded quickly in July. Total suicides exceeded the 95% confidence interval for June and approximated the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval in July. Over this 2-month span, there were 418 (95% confidence interval = [184, 652]) more suicides than expected, including 275 (95% confidence interval = [79, 471]) excess suicides in men and 182 (95% confidence interval = [93, 271]) in women. These equate to 4.8%, 4.1% and 9.1% increases above expected counts. There were 392 (95% confidence interval = [271, 514]) excess suicides by hanging, a 14.5% increase, with no significant increase in all other methods combined. Conclusion and Relevance: These findings demonstrate that mortality following celebrity suicides can occur at a similar magnitude to that observed for other public health emergencies. They underscore the urgency for interventions to mitigate imitation effects after celebrity suicide reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest that personality and individual difference traits are associated with aesthetic preferences but have infrequently examined associations within specific genres or across media domains. We examined associations between the Big Five personality traits with preferences (i.e., liking) for two nonconventional genres of film and literature, namely nouveau roman and existentialism, in samples of 548 nonexperts and 95 genre experts from Austria. Path analyses indicated that openness to experience (positively) and conscientiousness (negatively) were significantly associated with greater liking of stimuli across genres and media domains, after considering the effects of additional, relevant variables (aesthetic expertise and behaviors, social status, and the motive for sensory pleasure). Path models were stable across nonexperts and experts, although the strength of the relationships between openness and liking was stronger for nouveau roman stimuli. Additional analyses indicated that experts had significantly greater liking for stimuli across both genres than nonexperts. These results may have implications for the promotion of nonconventional artworks to wider audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data-visualization methods are essential to explore and communicate meta-analytic data and results. With a large number of novel graphs proposed quite recently, a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of available graphing options for meta-analysis is unavailable.Methods: We applied a multi-tiered search strategy to find the meta-analytic graphs proposed and introduced so far. We checked more than 150 retrievable textbooks on research synthesis methodology cover to cover, six different software programs regularly used for meta-analysis, and the entire content of two leading journals on research synthesis. In addition, we conducted Google Scholar and Google image searches and cited-reference searches of prior reviews of the topic. Retrieved graphs were categorized into a taxonomy encompassing 11 main classes, evaluated according to 24 graph-functionality features, and individually presented and described with explanatory vignettes.Results: We ascertained more than 200 different graphs and graph variants used to visualize meta-analytic data. One half of these have accrued within the past 10 years alone. The most prevalent classes were graphs for network meta-analysis (45 displays), graphs showing combined effect(s) only (26), funnel plot-like displays (24), displays showing more than one outcome per study (19), robustness, outlier and influence diagnostics (15), study selection and p-value based displays (15), and forest plot-like displays (14). The majority of graphs (130, 62.5%) possessed a unique combination of graph features.Conclusions: The rich and diverse set of available meta-analytic graphs offers a variety of options to display many different aspects of meta-analyses. This comprehensive overview of available graphs allows researchers to make better-informed decisions on which graphs suit their needs and therefore facilitates using the meta-analytic tool kit of graphs to its full potential. It also constitutes a roadmap for a goal-driven development of further graphical displays for research synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-right-handedness appears to be more common among bisexuals and homosexuals than among heterosexuals, which might be indirect evidence of effects of prenatal androgen exposure. Current data suggest higher prenatal testosterone levels among bisexual and homosexual women, but are inconclusive for men. This study examined the association between sexual orientation and non-right-handedness for sex differences and whether higher rates of mixed-handedness, rather than left-handedness, might be the driving factor. This allowed for more specific tests regarding the predictions of two competing theories of prenatal androgen exposure, the Geschwind-Galaburda theory and the callosal hypothesis, than in previous research. Being a potentially better indicator of cerebral lateralization than handedness, associations with footedness were also explored. To counter inconsistencies and shortcomings of previous research, we utilized two large discovery and replication datasets (ns = 2368 and 1565) and applied latent variable analysis to reliably classify lateral preferences (i.e., handedness, footedness). This maximized the statistical conclusion validity and allowed for direct tests of replicability. Sexual orientation was differentially associated with lateral preferences among men and women. Associations among women were consistent with predictions of the Geschwind-Galaburda theory, whereas among men they were consistent with predictions of the callosal hypothesis. The results were further consistent with models of homosexuality that suggest a role of parental epigenetic marks on sexually dimorphic fetal development. Research efforts should be increased with regard to footedness and epigenetic theories of homosexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is currently unresolved whether control, or its lack, over mind wandering contributes to its associations with creativity. Mind wandering and mindfulness are seen as opposing constructs concerning the ability to remain undistracted and, at the same time, appear to have a complex relationship with one another and with creativity. This study investigated the influence of control on novelty and usefulness of thought content during mind wandering in everyday life, controlling for mindfulness, creativity, and momentary mood. One thousand twenty-five thought probes of 41 healthy young adults were collected over the course of one week. The mindfulness facet acting with awareness and higher originality predicted less mind wandering. Acting with awareness also predicted higher, but nonreactivity to inner experience and creative production lower, momentary control. Momentary control was lower among women than men and positively associated with usefulness, but not novelty, of thoughts. Creativity did not moderate these associations. Habitual spontaneous mind wandering predicted lower usefulness and novelty of thoughts. These results highlight the need to distinguish controlled and uncontrolled mind wandering and the facets of mindfulness in this field of inquiry. Future research should focus on the contents and processes of mind wandering to further disentangle its adaptive and maladaptive consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resilience refers to a class of variables that are highly relevant to wellbeing and coping with stress, trauma, and chronic adversity. Despite its significance for health, resilience suffers from poor conceptual integration. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder with altered psychological stress reactivity and a brain-gut-microbiota axis, which causes high levels of chronic strain. Gut-directed Hypnotherapy (GHT) is a standardized treatment for IBS aimed at improving resilience. An improvement of resilience as a result of GHT has been hypothesized but requires further investigation. The aims of the study were to validate the construct and develop an integrational measure of various resilience domains by dimensional reduction, and to investigate changes in resilience in IBS patients after GHT. Method: A total of N = 74 gastroenterology outpatients with IBS (Rome III criteria) were examined in 7 resilience domains, quality of life, psychological distress and symptom severity. Of these, n = 53 participated in 7 to 10 GHT group sessions (Manchester protocol). Post-treatment examinations were performed on average 10 months after last GHT session. Results: Resilience factors proved to be unidimensional in the total sample. Greater resilience (composite score of resilience domains) and quality of life, and lower symptom severity and psychological distress were found after treatment (n = 16). Similar differences were present in cross-sectional comparisons of n = 37 treated vs. n = 37 untreated patients. Conclusion: Resilience factors share a common psychological dimension and are functionally connected. The absence of maladaptive behaviours contributes to resilience. Improvements in resilience after hypnotherapy with parallel increases in quality of life and reduced psychological distress and symptom severity were observed. Independent replications with larger sample sizes and randomized controlled trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common in practicing orthognathic surgery to evaluate faces with retruded or protruded chins (dysgnathic faces) using photographs. Because motion may alter how the face is perceived, we investigated the perception of faces presented via photographs and videos. Two hundred naïve raters (lay persons, without maxillo facial surgery background) evaluated 12 subjects with varying chin anatomy [so-called skeletal Class I (normal chin), Class II (retruded chin), and Class III (protruded chin)]. Starting from eight traits, with Factor analysis we found a two-Factor solution, i.e. an "aesthetics associated traits cluster" and a Factor "personality traits cluster" which appeared to be uncorrelated. Internal consistency of the Factors found for photographs and videos was excellent. Generally, female raters delivered better ratings than males, but the effect sizes were small. We analyzed differences and the respective effect magnitude between photograph and video perception. For each skeletal class the aesthetics associated dimensions were rated similarly between photographs and video clips. In contrast, specific personality traits were rated differently. Differences in the class-specific personality traits seen on photographs were "smoothed" in the assessment of videos, which implies that photos enhance stereotypes commonly attributed to a retruded or protruded chin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dark Triad of personality (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) is widely considered conceptually important for individual differences research into personality and interpersonal behavior. Recent research suggests to add trait sadism to its defining constructs (i.e., to form a Dark Tetrad), and that a single common dimension (the Dark Core) underlies these dark personality traits. Taxometric studies suggest the Dark Triad traits are dimensional (i.e., quantitative), but investigations on the facet level are lacking and sex differences in dark personality traits have not been considered. Utilizing widely-used scales, this study investigated the Dark Triad traits, sadism, as well as the Dark Core of personality, with taxometric methods on both the aggregate and facet level and separately among men and women (total N  = 2463, 56% women, mean age: 41.4 years). Dark personality traits mostly were dimensional, on both the aggregate and the facet level, and for both sexes. The Dark Core appeared to be taxonic among men, but dimensional among women. Taxon members were characterized by uniformly elevated dark personality traits and younger age. Future studies might profitably investigate the incremental predictive validity of this identified taxon and focus on further sex differences in dark personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that search volumes of the most popular search engine worldwide, Google, provided via Google Trends, could be associated with national suicide rates in the USA, UK, and some Asian countries. However, search volumes have mostly been studied in an ad hoc fashion, without controls for spurious associations. This study evaluated the validity and utility of Google Trends search volumes for behavioral forecasting of suicide rates in the USA, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Suicide-related search terms were systematically collected and respective Google Trends search volumes evaluated for availability. Time spans covered 2004 to 2010 (USA, Switzerland) and 2004 to 2012 (Germany, Austria). Temporal associations of search volumes and suicide rates were investigated with time-series analyses that rigorously controlled for spurious associations. The number and reliability of analyzable search volume data increased with country size. Search volumes showed various temporal associations with suicide rates. However, associations differed both across and within countries and mostly followed no discernable patterns. The total number of significant associations roughly matched the number of expected Type I errors. These results suggest that the validity of Google Trends search volumes for behavioral forecasting of national suicide rates is low. The utility and validity of search volumes for the forecasting of suicide rates depend on two key assumptions (“the population that conducts searches consists mostly of individuals with suicidal ideation”, “suicide-related search behavior is strongly linked with suicidal behavior”). We discuss strands of evidence that these two assumptions are likely not met. Implications for future research with Google Trends in the context of suicide research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) share etiological risk factors and an overlapping set of associated symptoms. Since the ICD-11 proposal for trauma-related disorders, the relationship of these disorders has to be clarified. A novel approach to psychopathology, network analysis, allows for a detailed analysis of comorbidity on symptom level. Methods Symptoms were assessed in adult survivors of childhood abuse (N = 219) using the newly developed ICD-11 Trauma-Questionnaire and the SCID-II. The psychopathological network was analyzed using the network approach. Results PTSD and Complex PTSD symptoms were strongly connected within disorders and to a lesser degree between disorders. Symptoms of BPD were weakly connected to others. Re-experiencing and dissociation were the most central symptoms. Conclusions Mental disorders are no discrete entities, clear boundaries are unlikely to be found. The psychopathological network revealed central symptoms that might be important targets for specific first interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the treatment of PTSD, meta-analyses suggest comparable efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapies and various trauma focused treatments, but results for other treatments are inconsistent. One meta-analysis found no differences for bona fide therapies, but was critizised for overgeneralization and a biased study sample and relied on an omnibus test of overall effect size heterogeneity that is not widely used. Methods: We present an updated meta-analysis on bona fide psychotherapies for PTSD, contrasting an improved application of the omnibus test of overall effect size heterogeneity with conventional random-effects meta-analyses of specified treatment types against all others. Twenty-two studies were eligible, reporting 24 head-to-head comparisons in randomized controlled trials of 1694 patients. Results: Head-to-head comparison between trauma focused and non-trauma focused treatments revealed a small relative advantage for trauma focused treatments at post-treatment (Hedges' g = 0.14) and at two follow-ups (g = 0.17, g = 0.23) regarding PTSD symptom severity. Controlling and adjusting for influential studies and publication bias, prolonged exposure and exposure therapies (g = 0.19) were slightly more efficacious than other therapies regarding PTSD symptom severity at post-treatment; prolonged exposure had also higher recovery rates (RR = 1.26). Present-centered therapies were slightly less efficacious regarding symptom severity at post-treatment (g = -0.20) and at follow-up (g = -0.17), but equally efficacious as available comparison treatments with regards to secondary outcomes. The improved omnibus test confirmed overall effect size heterogeneity. Conclusions: Trauma focused treatments, prolonged exposure and exposure therapies were slightly more efficacious than other therapies in the treatment of PTSD. However, treatment differences were at most small and far below proposed thresholds of clinically meaningful differences. Previous null findings may have stemmed from not clearly differentiating primary and secondary outcomes, but also from a specific use of the omnibus test of overall effect size heterogeneity that appears to be prone to error. However, more high-quality studies using ITT analyses are still needed to draw firm conclusions. Moreover, the PTSD treatment field may need to move beyond a focus primarily on efficacy so as to address other important issues such as public health issues and the requirements of highly vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the question whether personal suicidality is reflected in individual music preferences has been discussed. We assessed associations of preferred music genres and cumulative exposure to and rating of 50 preselected songs, including 25 suicide-related songs, with suicide risk factors in an online survey with 943 participants. Preferences for sad music were associated with high psychoticism, while fanship of music genres with predominantly joyful contents was linked to low psychoticism. There was a dose-response relationship of positive rating of suicide songs with high life satisfaction and low hopelessness. Music preferences partly reflect suicide risk factors, but enjoyment of suicide songs is negatively associated with risk factors of suicide, which may indicate a psychological defense mechanism against suicidal impulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of polychoric correlations via principal component analysis and exploratory factor analysis are well-known approaches to determine the dimensionality of ordered categorical items. However, the application of these approaches has been considered as critical due to the possible indefiniteness of the polychoric correlation matrix. A possible solution to this problem is the application of smoothing algorithms. This study compared the effects of three smoothing algorithms, based on the Frobenius norm, the adaption of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and on minimum-trace factor analysis, on the accuracy of various variations of parallel analysis by the means of a simulation study. We simulated different datasets which varied with respect to the size of the respondent sample, the size of the item set, the underlying factor model, the skewness of the response distributions and the number of response categories in each item. We found that a parallel analysis and principal component analysis of smoothed polychoric and Pearson correlations led to the most accurate results in detecting the number of major factors in simulated datasets when compared to the other methods we investigated. Of the methods used for smoothing polychoric correlation matrices, we recommend the algorithm based on minimum trace factor analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that there are few differences in the personality profiles of tattooed and non-tattooed adults. To add to this literature, we compared tattooed and non-tattooed adults in terms of their willingness to take risks in multiple domains, as well as their impulsivity and boredom proneness. Adults from central Europe (N = 1006) completed measures of the afore-mentioned concepts and reported the number of tattoos they had. In total, 19.1% of respondents had at least one tattoo, with no significant differences as a function of sex, nationality, education, or marital status. We also found that tattooed adults had higher motor impulsivity and were more willing to take risks in recreational and health and safety domains. However, effect sizes of these differences were negligible to small. Among tattooed adults, there were no significant associations between the number of tattoos possessed and any of the measured variables. These results suggest that tattooed and non-tattooed adults nowadays are more similar than different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameters of the two-parameter logistic model are generally estimated via the expectation-maximization algorithm, which improves initial values for all parameters iteratively until convergence is reached. Effects of initial values are rarely discussed in item response theory (IRT), but initial values were recently found to affect item parameters when estimating the latent distribution with full non-parametric maximum likelihood. However, this method is rarely used in practice. Hence, the present study investigated effects of initial values on item parameter bias and on recovery of item characteristic curves in BILOG-MG 3, a widely used IRT software package. Results showed notable effects of initial values on item parameters. For tighter convergence criteria, effects of initial values decreased, but item parameter bias increased, and the recovery of the latent distribution worsened. For practical application, it is advised to use the BILOG default convergence criterion with appropriate initial values when estimating the latent distribution from data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-handedness was reported indicative of schizotypy, relevant to psychosis and schizophrenia. However, studies suffered from validity threats and did not systematically investigate associations with footedness. Moreover, there is a dearth of studies in the general population and it is currently untested whether widely used self-report scales measure schizotypy in a comparable way in student and community samples. The present study used two large and independent community and student samples (total N >2800) and utilized latent class analysis (LCA) for the classification of handedness and footedness. Psychometric properties and measurement equivalence of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire–Brief form (SPQ-B) in the two samples were also examined. We found that mixed-handedness (<6% prevalence), but also much more common mixed-footedness (25% prevalence), was specifically and similarly associated with higher schizotypy in both samples, Cohen d =0.15–0.18. Findings indicate that schizotypal traits in conjunction with mixed lateral preferences are thus more prevalent in the overall population than previously assumed, and that footedness may be the more relevant predictor of schizotypy than handedness. Findings are further consistent with evidence on neurodevelopmental instability, but also epigenetic mechanisms involving the sex chromosomes, regarding possible common causes of both mixed-handedness and psychosis-relevant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research from various countries consistently reported an advantage of boys over girls in general knowledge and was also suggestive of some overall trends regarding specific domains of general knowledge that were speculated to stem from biologically differentiated interests. However, results were heterogeneous and, as of yet, had not been evaluated meta-analytically. Moreover, previous research drew on overly homogeneous high-school or undergraduate samples whose representativeness appears problematic; mostly, likely moderators, such as school type, student age or parental education, were also not directly investigated or controlled for. We provide a meta-analytical aggregation of available results regarding sex differences in general knowledge and present new data, investigating the psychometric properties of the General Knowledge Test (GKT), on which previous research primarily relied, and explored sex differences in a large and heterogeneous Austrian high-school student sample (N = 1088). The aggregated sex effect in general knowledge was of medium size in previous research, but differences in specific domains were heterogeneous across countries and only modest at best. Large sex differences in our data could be explained to a large part by school-related moderators (school type, school, student age, parental education) and selection processes. Boys had a remaining advantage over girls that was only small in size and that was consistent with the magnitude of sex differences in general intelligence. Analysis of the GKT yielded no evidence of biologically differentiated interests, but of a specific interest in the humanities among girls. In conclusion, previous research likely overestimated sex differences in general knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the psychometric and structural properties of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) among meditators, to develop a short form, and to examine associations of mindfulness with mental health and the mechanisms of mindfulness. Methods: Two independent samples were used, a German (n = 891) and a Spanish (n = 393) meditator sample, practicing various meditation styles. Structural and psychometric properties of the FFMQ were investigated with multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling. Associations with mental health and mechanisms of mindfulness were examined with path analysis. Results: The derived short form broadly matched a previous item selection in samples of non-meditators. Self-regulated Attention and Orientation to Experience governed the facets of mindfulness on a higher-order level. Higher-order factors of mindfulness and meditation experience were negatively associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, and perceived stress. Decentering and nonattachment were the most salient mechanisms of mindfulness. Aspects of emotion regulation, bodily awareness, and nonattachment explained the effects of mindfulness on depression and anxiety. Conclusions: A two-component conceptualization for the FFMQ, and for the study of mindfulness as a psychological construct, is recommended for future research. Mechanisms of mindfulness need to be examined in intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral preferences are important for the study of cerebral lateralization and may be indicative of neurobehavioral disorders, neurodevelopmental instability, and deficits in lateralization. Previous studies showed that self-reported preferences are also concordantly interrelated, suggesting a common genetic or biological origin, sidedness. However, with regard to the assessment and classification of lateral preferences, there is a dearth of psychometric studies, but a need for psychometrically validated instruments that can be reliably used in applied research. Based on three independent large samples (total N >15,100), this study investigated the psychometric properties of widely-used lateral preference scales of handedness, footedness, eyedness, and earedness. Preferences were consistently and replicably categorical, consisting of right, mixed, and left preferences each, underlining that primarily qualitative, rather than quantitative, differences differentiate lateral preferences. Right-, mixed-, and left-sidedness underlay the individual preferences, but sidedness alone could not fully explain the observed inter-relations. Footedness was the single most important indicator of sidedness. Our data were further consistent with predictions of right shift theory and corroborated a ‘pull-to-concordance’ in hand–foot preferences. We recommend the use of psychometrically validated scales and of a trichotomous classification of lateral preferences in future research, but conclude that handedness may be a biased indicator of underlying sidedness. Footedness needs to be examined more closely with regard to cerebral lateralization, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodevelopmental instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand clasping (HC) and arm folding (AF) are bilateral limb postures which are subject to lateral preferences. Previous research suggested that left HC and left AF are “canonical” among European populations, i.e., generally preferred by right-handers. However, evidence on the associations of handedness with HC and AF to date is sparse and inconsistent, with studies mostly relying on relatively small sample sizes and arbitrary classifications of handedness. Utilizing latent class analysis for handedness classification, we present data from two large and independent middle-European samples, a discovery (n= 7,658) and replication (n= 5,062) sample. Our results indicate that right HC, not left HC, is overall preferred and that right-handedness is associated with right HC/left AF, and left- and mixed-handedness with left HC/right AF. Moreover, lateral preferences increased with age, and men had a higher preference of right HC, independent of handedness. We discuss our findings with regard to the generalizability of previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Left-handed women are assumedly more masculine, left-handed men more feminine. [•] Previous research did not distinguish between mixed- and left-handedness. [•] Mixed-handers, but not left-handers, are less sex-congruent stereotyped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies indicate that exposure to suicide in movies is linked to subsequent imitative suicidal behavior, so-called copycat suicides, but little is currently known about whether the link between exposure to suicidal movies and suicidality is reflected in individual film preferences. 943 individuals participated in an online survey. We assessed associations between preferred film genres as well as individual exposure to and rating of 50 pre-selected films (including 25 featuring a suicide) with suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression, life satisfaction, and psychoticism. Multiple regression analyses showed that preferences for film noir movies and milieu dramas were associated with higher scores on suicidal ideation, depression and psychoticism, and low scores on life satisfaction. Furthermore, preferences for thrillers and horror movies as well as preferences for tragicomedies, tragedies and melodramas were associated with higher scores of some of the suicide risk factors. There was also a dose-response relationship between positive rating of suicide films and higher life satisfaction. Due to the cross-sectional design of the study causality cannot be assessed. Individual film genre preferences seem to reflect risk factors of suicide, with film genres focusing on sad contents being preferred by individuals with higher scores on suicide risk factors. However, suicide movies are more enjoyed by viewers with higher life satisfaction, which may reflect a better ability to cope with such content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Potential explanations for generational intelligence test score gains continue to be subject to intense debate and scrutiny in the scientific community. However, the explanatory value of some of the proposed causes remains difficult to determine, since only little empirical evidence is available. To clarify the role of two scarcely investigated theories accounting for the Flynn effect, this study set out to examine the role of changing test-taking behavior (Brand's hypothesis) and of a narrowing of the IQ ability distribution (Rodgers' hypothesis). Archival records of crystallized intelligence test performance over a time-span of 17years of a large number of psychiatric inpatients and outpatients in Austria were investigated (N =5445; 1978–94). This sample was particularly suitable to investigate our hypotheses since participants were under no pressure to perform which makes observed changes in test taking behavior attributable to personal style and ability rather than differential performance in pressure situations. Analytical approaches of both classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) yielded gains of 1.0 to 2.4 IQ points per decade. Test-taking behavior indicative of guessing and decreasing population IQ variability appeared to contribute both to IQ test score gains. IRT-based analyses showed that gains were largely preserved when controlling for highest educational qualification, while the test instrument showed measurement invariance between cohorts. However, IRT-based results also suggested that changes in test-taking behavior might not necessarily reflect increased guessing, but item drift instead. In all, this evidence emphasizes better performance of individuals of the lower tail of the IQ ability distribution in more recent years as one important contributing factor for generational IQ test score gains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Empathy (E) scale has been proposed as a theoretically and psychometrically more satisfying alternative to existing self-report measures of empathy. Its four scales (facets) cover both components (cognitive vs. emotional) and both reality statuses (fictitious vs. real-life) of empathy in pairwise combinations. Confirmatory factor analyses of the E-scale in an Austrian community sample (N = 794) suggested that one prior assumption, namely the mutual orthogonality of these facets, may partly need revision; particularly, the E-scale facets seemed to reflect more strongly differences in the reality statuses than in the components of empathy. Utilizing numerous informative psychological traits, the scale's convergent and discriminant validity were examined. E-scale scores were consistently predicted by sex-related and relationship-related constructs and measures of antisocial attitudes and behavior. Among the Big Five personality dimensions, openness emerged as a major positive correlate of empathy. Sex and age were demographic correlates of E-scale scores (higher in women and the younger). Findings were discussed with regards to the definition and measurement of empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Past research of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) lacks clear results regarding its factorial validity, item fitting, mindfulness in the general population, and on the higher order structure of mindfulness. We derived an alternative two-factor higher order structure for the FFMQ, delineating the attentional and experiential aspects of mindfulness. Method Data of 640 persons from the Austrian community were used for primary analyses, and data of 333 Austrian students were used for cross-validation. Confirmatory analyses and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were utilized to investigate psychometric and structural properties. Associations with related variables and indicators of mental health were examined. Results Confirmatory models fitted only poorly on the full 39-item FFMQ. Fit was acceptable in an abridged 20-item version in both samples. The Nonreact scale had only weak psychometric properties. ESEM analyses suggested a good fit of two higher order factors and revealed structural differences between the samples. Beneficial effects of mindfulness appeared to be uniquely associated with the experiential aspects of mindfulness. Strategies of emotion regulation showed differential associations with the two higher order factors in the two samples. Conclusions Our findings are relevant both with regard to conceptual issues on mindfulness and the assessment of mindfulness with the FFMQ. Replications in meditating samples and in patients are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Empathy (E) scale has been proposed as a theoretically and psychometrically more satisfying alternative to existing self-report measures of empathy. Its four scales (facets) cover both components (cognitive vs. emotional) and both reality statuses (fictitious vs. real-life) of empathy in pairwise combinations. Confirmatory factor analyses of the E-scale in an Austrian community sample (N = 794) suggested that one prior assumption, namely the mutual orthogonality of these facets, may partly need revision; particularly, the E-scale facets seemed to reflect more strongly differences in the reality statuses than in the components of empathy. Utilizing numerous informative psychological traits, the scale's convergent and discriminant validity were examined. E-scale scores were consistently predicted by sex-related and relationship-related constructs and measures of anti-social attitudes and behavior. Among the Big Five personality dimensions, openness emerged as a major positive correlate of empathy. Sex and age were demographic correlates of E-scale scores (higher in women and the younger). Findings were discussed with regards to the definition and measurement of empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Attentional biases are a robust phenomenon in anxiety. [•] Previous research mostly did not address sex differences. [•] In our study, anxious women showed an attentional bias towards angry faces. [•] Anxious men showed an attentional bias towards happy faces. [•] Future studies need to take sex differences into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: War-related traumata in childhood and young-adulthood may have long-lasting negative effects on mental health. The focus of recent research has shifted to examine positive adaption despite traumatic experiences, i.e. resilience. We investigated personal and environmental factors associated with resilience in a sample of elderly Austrians (N = 293) who reported traumatic experiences in early life during World War II and subsequent occupation (1945-1955). Methods: After reviewing different concepts of resilience, we analysed our data in a 3-phased approach: Following previous research approaches, we first investigated correlates of PTSD and non-PTSD. Secondly, we compared a PTSD positive sample (sub-threshold and full PTSD, n = 42) with a matched control sample regarding correlates of resilience and psychometrically assessed resilience (CD-RISC). Thirdly, we examined factors of resilience, discriminating between psychologically healthy participants who were exposed to a specific environmental stressor (having lived in the Soviet zone of occupation during 1945-1955) from those who were not. Results: A smaller number of life-time traumata (OR = 0.73) and a medium level of education (OR = 2.46) were associated with better outcome. Matched PTSD and non-PTSD participants differed in psychometrically assessed resilience mainly in aspects that were directly related to symptoms of PTSD. Psychologically healthy participants with an environmental stressor in the past were characterized by a challenge-oriented and humorous attitude towards stress. Conclusions: Our results show no clear picture of factors constituting resilience. Instead, most aspects of resilience rather appeared to be concomitants or consequences of PTSD and non-PTSD. However, special attention should be placed on a challenge-oriented and humorous attitude towards stress in future definitions of resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have suggested associations between personality dimensions and body image constructs, but these have not been conclusively established. In two studies, we examined direct associations between the Big Five dimensions and two body image constructs, actual-ideal weight discrepancy and body appreciation. In Study 1, 950 women completed measures of both body image constructs and a brief measure of the Big Five dimensions. In Study 2, 339 women completed measures of the body image constructs and a more reliable measure of the Big Five. Both studies showed that Neuroticism was significantly associated with actual-ideal weight discrepancy (positively) and body appreciation (negatively) once the effects of body mass index and social status had been accounted for. These results are consistent with the suggestion that Neuroticism is a trait of public health significance requiring attention by body image scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stöber's Social Desirability Scale (SDS-17) was examined psychometrically in 5 samples (N = 2,817) from Austria, Canada, and the USA. Rasch and Mokken scaling analyses attested the SDS-17 is not strictly unidimensional. Age, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were notable positive correlates of SDS-17 scores. There were signs of non-normal score distributions, acquiescence bias, and sex and country differences (higher scores among Austrians than North Americans). Items with higher ratings of social desirability according to previous research were particularly prone to show sex effects. The SDS-17 appears suitable in crosscultural settings, but may benefit from substituting its true-false response format with a rating-scale format. A formative-indicators view regarding the social desirability construct and the SDS-17 is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameters of the two-parameter logistic model are generally estimated via the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm by the maximum-likelihood (ML) method. In so doing, it is beneficial to estimate the common prior distribution of the latent ability from data. Full non-parametric ML (FNPML) estimation allows estimation of the latent distribution with maximum flexibility, as the distribution is modelled non-parametrically on a number of (freely moving) support points. It is generally assumed that EM estimation of the two-parameter logistic model is not influenced by initial values, but studies on this topic are unavailable. Therefore, the present study investigates the sensitivity to initial values in FNPML estimation. In contrast to the common assumption, initial values are found to have notable influence: for a standard convergence criterion, item discrimination and difficulty parameter estimates as well as item characteristic curve (ICC) recovery were influenced by initial values. For more stringent criteria, item parameter estimates were mainly influenced by the initial latent distribution, whilst ICC recovery was unaffected. The reason for this might be a flat surface of the log-likelihood function, which would necessitate setting a sufficiently tight convergence criterion for accurate recovery of item parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previously reported associations between low (male-typical) digit ratio (2D:4D), a putative pointer to prenatal testosterone exposure, and high (male-typical) sensation seeking have been inconsistent across studies (alternately present for men, women, either sex, or neither). Addressing this question again in three new studies (N =198, 188, 1118) produced similarly erratic findings. Meta-analysis of the entire literature (13 studies with nearly 3000 individuals, including unpublished accounts) showed that the current cumulative evidence does not support any negative correlations between 2D:4D and sensation seeking traits. The only significant meta-analytical finding was for right-hand 2D:4D and the experience seeking facet of sensation seeking in both sexes, but this effect accounted for merely 0.4% attributable variance, and moreover was directionally opposite to expectation (i.e., a positive correlation). Discussed are inherent limitations of narrow-scoped approaches (such as via 2D:4D) for elucidating the biological bases of individual difference variables with evidentially intricate neurochemical underpinnings (such as sensation seeking). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Parallel analysis has been shown to be suitable for dimensionality assessment in factor analysis of continuous variables. There have also been attempts to demonstrate that it may be used to uncover the factorial structure of binary variables conforming to the unidimensional normal ogive model. This article provides both theoretical and empirical evidence that this is not appropriate. Results of a simulation study indicate that sample size, item discrimination, and type of correlation coefficient (Pearson vs. tetrachoric correlation) considerably influence the performance of parallel analysis. Reliability of parallel analysis with binary variables is found to be notably poor for Pearson correlations and also limited for tetrachoric correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recognition of the invariance of horizontality is commonly measured by paper-and-pencil forms of Piaget’s water-level tasks. Whereas there exist a large body of studies on the performance of children, adolescents, and adults, empirical data of the elderly are still missing. Here, we present the results of a large cross-sectional study comprising N =1704 participants of 4–95 years of age. Analysis of the influence of subjects’ age on the performance on eight water-level tasks revealed that the ability to solve the tasks correctly was nonlinearly related to age, increasing for children and adolescents, peaking in participants of middle age, and decreasing for the elderly. Only for two tasks, depicting bottles nearest to a full upside down position, subjects’ sex exerted a significant influence on performance, favouring males. However, females of middle and older age also had lower success rates than males to solve the tasks correctly. Some possible causes of the age-associated decline of performance in the elderly are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Researchers have little explored individuals' perceptions of same-sex attractiveness in terms of the influence of relationship status. By using intrasexual competition as a conceptual framework, the authors predicted that romantically involved individuals would protect their relationship by derogating competitors. Although previous researchers have strongly predicted this result, in the present study the relationship status had a negligible impact on competition, for which relationship commitment, sociosexual orientation, and self-monitoring did not account. Also, among uninvolved individuals, the authors expected those individuals seeking mates would use competitor derogation more than would those individuals not seeking mates, but there was no significant difference. Finally, because the vehicle for this investigation was attractiveness, an area in which women compete, the authors proposed that women would derogate more fiercely than would men. However, the results did not support this hypothesis either. The authors discuss future directions for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjective estimates and associated confidence ratings for the solutions of some classic occupancy problems were studied in samples of 721 psychology undergraduates, 39 casino visitors, and 34 casino employees. On tasks varying the classic birthday problem, i.e., the probability P for any coincidence among N individuals sharing the same birthday, clear majorities of respondents markedly overestimated N, given P, and markedly underestimated P, given N. Respondents did notedly better on tasks varying the birthmate problem, i.e., P for the specific coincidence among N individuals of having a birthday today. Psychology students and women did better on both task types, but were less confident about their estimates than casino visitors or personnel and men. Several further person variables, such as indicators of topical knowledge and familiarity, were associated with better and more confident performance on birthday problems, but not on birthmate problems. Likewise, higher confidence ratings were related to subjective estimates that were closer to the solutions of birthday problems, but not of birthmate problems. Implications of and possible explanations for these findings, study limitations, directions for further inquiry, and the real-world relevance of ameliorating misconceptions of probability are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about suicide might be positively correlated with local suicide prevalence. This hypothesis was tested with a sample of 107 medical and social science undergraduates from Estonia, a country with a high suicide rate, using Hubbard and McIntosh's 1992 Revised Facts on Suicide Quiz. Compared (independent-groups t tests) with a sample of undergraduates from Austria, which has a markedly lower suicide rate, Estonians presented significantly higher overall knowledge about suicide (d=0.39), particularly concerning demographic and epidemiological facts about suicide (d=0.77) but not pertaining to clinical and interpersonal knowledge contents (d= -0.06). Study limitations and suggestions for extension of this preliminary inquiry are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Letters from the Heart effect described by Van den Bergh, Vrana, and Eden in 1990 is the finding that, in a forced-choice affective evaluation paradigm, typists prefer nonmeaningful letter combinations typed with different fingers over those typed with the same finger, whereas no such preference is evident for non- typists. Typists' dislike of same-finger letter combinations may arise through subconscious activation of motor-behavior memory in affective evaluation tasks, which in turn may create conflicting qualities for same-finger letter combinations given the motor incompatibilities associated with these. Although the effect is cited in the literature, the original finding has never been replicated. The present research attempted to replicate the effect in a series of five studies, involving new sets of letter combinations and a total of 134 typists and 152 nontypists. The effect was not clearly replicated in these studies and thus seems to be elusive. The consistent nonreplication is discussed in terms of a lack of necessary boundary conditions for the effect to emerge reliably and in differences in analysis between the original investigation and the present research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the ecological association of dietary tryptophan intake and suicide rates across industrialized nations. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the rate-limiting precursor of serotonin biosynthesis. The serotonergic system has been strongly implicated in the neurobiology of suicide.Methods: Contemporary male and female suicide rates for the general population (42 countries) and the elderly (38 countries) were correlated with national estimates of dietary tryptophan intake.Results: Measures of tryptophan intake were significantly negatively associated to national suicide rates. Controlling for national affluence, total alcohol consumption and happiness levels slightly attenuated these associations, but left all of them negative.Limitations: The effect is an ecological (group-level) finding. Estimated per capita tryptophan supply is only a proxy for actual consumption.Conclusions: Developed nations ranking high in dietary tryptophan intake rank low in suicide rates, independent of national wealth, alcohol intake and happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous evidence suggests that benefits of mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs) may depend on individuals' baseline trait mindfulness (BTM) levels. This meta‐analysis investigated moderating effects of BTM on changes in mental health outcomes and trait mindfulness in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of MBIs. A total of 177 primary studies (total N = 13,486), comparing the treatment effects of MBIs against active, treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) and waitlist control groups, were synthesised via three‐level meta‐analysis. Lower BTM was associated with larger changes in mental health outcomes (B = −0.14, 95% CI [−0.21, −0.06], p < .001) and trait mindfulness (B = −0.09 [−0.16, −0.02], p = .009) in MBIs and active controls combined. These associations were significantly larger than from those in TAU and waitlist controls. Moderating effects were less tangible for changes in trait mindfulness in MBIs and active controls individually and less tangible in various sensitivity analyses which, however, were confounded by client type across the RCTs. Individuals low in BTM may, by a small effect size, benefit more from MBIs and active control interventions. BTM may thus affect the evaluation of treatment efficacy. MBIs and active interventions could be offered specifically to persons low in BTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispositional mindfulness (i.e., its trait-like and universal component) and the Big Five personality dimensions empirically overlap on both the aggregate and facet levels. This overlap is strongest for neuroticism and conscientiousness, two major correlates of mental health. Associations of dispositional mindfulness with mental health could thus be due to underlying personality configurations. We investigated the latent structure and the incremental validity of dispositional mindfulness and the Big Five in accounting for mental health (perceived stress, anxiety, depression) in a community sample of N = 430 adults. Facets of dispositional mindfulness and the Big Five (using aggregate-level measures for openness, extraversion, and agreeableness) shared a common latent structure, which successfully recovered the Big Five. The incremental validity of mindfulness facets for mental health was small and negligible, only increasing in analyses of manifest (vs. latent) scores and when using aggregate (vs. facet-level) measures of neuroticism and conscientiousness. Predictor commonality and dominance analyses corroborated that the concurrent validity of dispositional mindfulness for mental health largely is qualified by personality dimensions. Emphasized are definitional overlaps of personality and dispositional mindfulness, and present-moment awareness as a possibly unique feature of dispositional mindfulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: "13 Reasons Why," a Netflix series, included a controversial depiction of suicide that has raised fears about possible contagion. Studies of youth suicide in the United States found an increase on the order of 10% following release of the show, but this has not been replicated in other countries. This study aims to begin to address that gap by examining the relationship between the show's release and youth suicide in Canada's most populous province.Methods: Suicides in young people (under the age of 30) in the province of Ontario following the show's release on March 31, 2017, were the outcome of interest. Time-series analyses were performed using data from January 2013 to March 2017 to predict expected deaths from April to December 2017 with a simple seasonal model (stationary R2 = 0.732, Ljung-Box Q = 15.1, df = 16, P = 0.52, Bayesian information criterion = 3.09) providing the best fit/used for the primary analysis.Results: Modeling predicted 224 suicides; however, 264 were observed corresponding to 40 more deaths or an 18% increase. In the primary analysis, monthly suicides exceeded the 95% confidence limit for 3 of the 9 months (May, July, and October).Conclusion: The statistical strength of the findings here is limited by small numbers; however, the results are in line with what has been observed in the United States and what would be expected if contagion were occurring. Further research in other locations is needed to increase confidence that the associations found here are causal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]