Reducing Public Stigma Toward Suicide-Loss Survivors Through Brief Video Interventions: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: Described as statistically significant for all reported item-level reductions; exact p-values not available in abstract

• Effect Size: Item-level reductions relative to control: 'Disconnected' -24%, 'Cowardly' -16%, 'Immoral' -12%, 'Irresponsible' -12%; overall stigma score effect size not reported in available data

• Primary Outcome: Public stigma scores toward suicide-loss survivors were significantly lower in the narrative video arm compared to the psychoeducational control arm, both immediately post-exposure and at 30-day follow-up, with attenuation of effect over time

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: NNT not calculable from available data; no binary outcome threshold defined. Effect expressed as percentage reduction in stigma item scores relative to control condition

• Confidence Interval: Not reported in available data

Clinical Application

High feasibility for digital deployment — brief video format requires no clinical training, infrastructure, or ongoing resource commitment. Suitable for integration into online public health campaigns, workplace mental health programs, and community postvention initiatives. Requires culturally adapted content for different populations. Australia has a significant suicide bereavement burden, with an estimated 135,000 Australians newly bereaved by suicide each year (Lifeline Australia estimates). Stigma toward SLSs compounds grief and impedes help-seeking. This intervention aligns with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy's postvention pillar and could complement existing programs such as StandBy Response Service and Roses in the Ocean. The intervention is not a PBS-listed or TGA-regulated product, making regulatory barriers to deployment low. RACGP guidelines on mental health and bereavement support would be relevant for GPs considering referral pathways for SLSs. However, Australian deployment would require culturally adapted video content, including consideration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where suicide rates and cultural frameworks around death and grief differ substantially. Safe messaging compliance with Mindframe guidelines would be mandatory for any Australian public rollout. General adult population aged 18–50; potentially applicable to community members, workplaces, schools, and healthcare settings seeking to reduce stigma toward individuals bereaved by suicide

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide-loss survivors (SLSs) experience substantial and often enduring psychological burden. These difficulties are compounded by public stigma, underscoring the need for scalable approaches to shift attitudes at the population level. In this study, we examined whether brief survivor-narrative videos can reduce public stigma of SLSs. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial, 1351 adults (18-50) completed baseline measures and were allocated to view either a brief SLS narrative or a psychoeducational control. Public stigma toward SLSs and trait impressions were assessed at baseline and postexposure. RESULTS: Relative to control, the SLS video arm showed clear improvements immediately and at 30 days: stigma scores were lower and trait impressions more favorable, with attenuation over time. Item-level analyses indicated sizable immediate reductions for "Disconnected" (-24%) and "Cowardly" (-16%), and smaller but significant decreases for "Immoral" and "Irresponsible" (-12% each). CONCLUSIONS: Brief survivor-narrative videos can shift public attitudes toward SLSs and maintain part of that change over 1 month. As a low-cost, scalable complement to postvention, brief video contact offers a practical lever to improve the social climate surrounding SLSs. Deployed widely and reinforced over time, it can move communities from blame to empathy, strengthen everyday support, and advance survivors' recovery.

References

1. 1.Levi-Belz, Y., Fisch, C. T., & Doron, A. (2026). Reducing public stigma toward suicide-loss survivors through brief video interventions: A randomized controlled trial. Depression and Anxiety. https://doi.org/10.1155/da/2062450