IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i3p352-d201056.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Look at Culture and Stigma of Suicide: Textual Analysis of Community Theatre Performances

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Keller

    (Department of Communication & Theatre, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT 59102, USA)

  • Vanessa McNeill

    (Department of Psychology, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT 59102, USA)

  • Joy Honea

    (Department of Social Sciences & Cultural Studies, Montana State University Billings, Billings, MT 59102, USA)

  • Lani Paulson Miller

    (Walden University, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA)

Abstract

Stigma against suicidal ideation and help-seeking is a significant barrier to prevention. Little detail is provided on what types of stigma interfere with help-seeking, how stigma is expressed, and how to reduce it. Five groups of two ethnically diverse community theatre programs were formed to analyze differences in Eastern Montana Caucasian and Native American adolescents and young adults’ experiences with stigma about mental illness and mental health treatment that affect help-seeking for suicidal thoughts and experiences. Over a ten-week period, a grassroots theatre project was used to recruit members from the same population as the audience to write and perform a play on suicide and depression ( n = 33; 10 males, 23 females; 12 Native American, 21 Caucasian, ages 14–24). Using textual analysis, the community- and campus-based performance scripts were coded for themes related to stigma. Both ethnic groups reported that stigma is a barrier to expressing emotional vulnerability, seeking help, and acknowledging mental illness. We found that Caucasians’ experiences were more individually oriented and Native Americans’ experiences were more collectively oriented. Understanding the cultural bases of experiences with stigma related to mental health treatment for suicide is necessary to create educational programs to reduce stigma for diverse groups of adolescents and young adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Keller & Vanessa McNeill & Joy Honea & Lani Paulson Miller, 2019. "A Look at Culture and Stigma of Suicide: Textual Analysis of Community Theatre Performances," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:352-:d:201056
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/352/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/3/352/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Parker, Richard & Aggleton, Peter, 2003. "HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: a conceptual framework and implications for action," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 13-24, July.
    2. Subin Park & Yeeun Lee, 2016. "Factors that Affect Suicide Attempts of Adolescents in Multicultural Families in Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-8, November.
    3. Chew, Kenneth S. Y. & McCleary, Richard, 1995. "The spring peak in suicides: A cross-national analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 223-230, January.
    4. Jong-Min Woo & Olaoluwa Okusaga & Teodor T. Postolache, 2012. "Seasonality of Suicidal Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Jane Pirkis & Dianne Currier & Peter Butterworth & Allison Milner & Anne Kavanagh & Holly Tibble & Jo Robinson & Matthew J. Spittal, 2017. "Socio-Economic Position and Suicidal Ideation in Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Kénora Chau & Bernard Kabuth & Nearkasen Chau, 2016. "Association between Suicide Ideation and Attempts and Being an Immigrant among Adolescents, and the Role of Socioeconomic Factors and School, Behavior, and Health-Related Difficulties," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liliana Hidalgo-Padilla & Ana L. Vilela-Estrada & Mauricio Toyama & Sumiko Flores & Daniela Ramirez-Meneses & Mariana Steffen & Paul Heritage & Catherine Fung & Stefan Priebe & Francisco Diez-Canseco, 2022. "Using Arts-Based Methodologies to Understand Adolescent and Youth Manifestations, Representations, and Potential Causes of Depression and Anxiety in Low-Income Urban Settings in Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Chiara Davico & Alessandra Rossi Ghiglione & Elena Lonardelli & Francesca Di Franco & Federica Ricci & Daniele Marcotulli & Federica Graziano & Tatiana Begotti & Federico Amianto & Emanuela Calandri &, 2022. "Performing Arts in Suicide Prevention Strategies: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Sarah Keller & Vanessa McNeill & Tan Tran, 2021. "The Perceived Stigma Reduction Expressed by Young Adults in Response to Suicide Prevention Videos," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-22, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tsutomu Nishimura & I-Ju Tsai & Hiroyuki Yamauchi & Eiji Nakatani & Masanori Fukushima & Chung Y. Hsu, 2020. "Association of Geomagnetic Disturbances and Suicide Attempts in Taiwan, 1997–2013: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-9, February.
    2. Mazanderani, Fadhila & Paparini, Sara, 2015. "The stories we tell: Qualitative research interviews, talking technologies and the ‘normalisation’ of life with HIV," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 66-73.
    3. Chen Zhang & Xiaoming Li & Yu Liu & Shan Qiao & Liying Zhang & Yuejiao Zhou & Zhenzhu Tang & Zhiyong Shen & Yi Chen, 2016. "Stigma against People Living with HIV/AIDS in China: Does the Route of Infection Matter?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Winskell, Kate & Sabben, Gaëlle, 2016. "Sexual stigma and symbolic violence experienced, enacted, and counteracted in young Africans’ writing about same-sex attraction," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 143-150.
    5. Matt Williams & Stephen Hill & John Spicer, 2015. "Will climate change increase or decrease suicide rates? The differing effects of geographical, seasonal, and irregular variation in temperature on suicide incidence," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 130(4), pages 519-528, June.
    6. Elena Briones Alonso & Lara Cockx & Jo Swinnen, 2017. "Culture and food security," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven 591898, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    7. Daftary, Amrita, 2012. "HIV and tuberculosis: The construction and management of double stigma," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1512-1519.
    8. Rivers, Ian & Gonzalez, Cesar & Nodin, Nuno & Peel, Elizabeth & Tyler, Allan, 2018. "LGBT people and suicidality in youth: A qualitative study of perceptions of risk and protective circumstances," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1-8.
    9. Ajdacic-Gross, Vladeta & Bopp, Matthias & Ring, Mariann & Gutzwiller, Felix & Rossler, Wulf, 2010. "Seasonality in suicide - A review and search of new concepts for explaining the heterogeneous phenomena," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(4), pages 657-666, August.
    10. Gogna, Mónica Laura & Pecheny, Mario M. & Ibarlucía, Inés & Manzelli, Hernán & López, Sara Barrón, 2009. "The reproductive needs and rights of people living with HIV in Argentina: Health service users' and providers' perspectives," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 813-820, September.
    11. Frederick, Angela, 2017. "Visibility, respectability, and disengagement: The everyday resistance of mothers with disabilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 131-138.
    12. Yang, Lawrence Hsin & Kleinman, Arthur, 2008. "'Face' and the embodiment of stigma in China: The cases of schizophrenia and AIDS," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 398-408, August.
    13. Shih, P. & Worth, H. & Travaglia, J. & Kelly-Hanku, A., 2017. "Pastoral power in HIV prevention: Converging rationalities of care in Christian and medical practices in Papua New Guinea," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 51-58.
    14. Sikstrom, Laura, 2018. "“There was no love there”: Intergenerational HIV disclosure, and late presentation for antiretroviral therapy in Northern Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 175-182.
    15. Yang, Lawrence H. & Chen, Fang-pei & Sia, Kathleen Janel & Lam, Jonathan & Lam, Katherine & Ngo, Hong & Lee, Sing & Kleinman, Arthur & Good, Byron, 2014. "“What matters most:” A cultural mechanism moderating structural vulnerability and moral experience of mental illness stigma," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 84-93.
    16. Zhou, Yanqiu Rachel, 2007. ""If you get AIDS... You have to endure it alone": Understanding the social constructions of HIV/AIDS in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 284-295, July.
    17. Ahmed, Shahira & Autrey, Jessica & Katz, Ingrid T. & Fox, Matthew P. & Rosen, Sydney & Onoya, Dorina & Bärnighausen, Till & Mayer, Kenneth H. & Bor, Jacob, 2018. "Why do people living with HIV not initiate treatment? A systematic review of qualitative evidence from low- and middle-income countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 72-84.
    18. Syed Mustafa Ali & Naveed Anjum & Muhammad Ishaq & Farah Naureen & Arif Noor & Aamna Rashid & Syed Muslim Abbas & Kerri Viney, 2019. "Community Knowledge about Tuberculosis and Perception about Tuberculosis-Associated Stigma in Pakistan," Societies, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, January.
    19. Holly Swan, 2016. "A Qualitative Examination of Stigma Among Formerly Incarcerated Adults Living With HIV," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(1), pages 21582440166, February.
    20. Keetie Roelen & Caroline Ackley & Paul Boyce & Nicolas Farina & Santiago Ripoll, 2020. "COVID-19 in LMICs: The Need to Place Stigma Front and Centre to Its Response," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(5), pages 1592-1612, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:3:p:352-:d:201056. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.