少年對自殺的看法: 國中生焦點團體質性資料分析

Suicide is an important public-health issue worldwide. In Taiwan, suicide death is among the top ten causes of death for youth groups. To investigate teenager’s perspectives pertaining to suicide, we conducted focus-group discussions in junior high schools. A total of 62 students in Taipei were divided into nine discussion groups. Analysis of the qualitative data collected in this study indicated that teenagers considered perceived stress and some psychiatric symptoms as the major determinants of suicide. The stress-coping strategies cited by these students included shopping watching TV, playing video games, and behaving aggressively. Students tended to attempt to cope alone or seek peer’s help when they felt stressed. Most of these students’ description of suicidal behavior, especially jumping to one’s death, derived from media reports. As for the consequences of suicide death, they mentioned an ugly death and heart-broken parents, and if the suicide attempts failed, lost face and being talked about or reported to authorities was a necessary consequence. When asked about the meaning of life, only one or two of the students interviewed had given any thought to this issue. In order to prevent teenage suicide, we suggest that junior high schools should develop some preventive programs regarding suicide, and to provide appropriate courses relating to life education. Such a school-based educational program should emphasize the development of students’ problem-solving and stress-coping skills. Additionally, an over-reporting of suicide events in the news of the performance of suicide in TV drama and movie should be prohibited.