Debunking suicide myths, such as ‘asking someone about suicide could make them start thinking about it’ is a common strategy in suicide prevention education. However, there has been little research investigating the relationship between suicide myths and helping behavior toward people at risk of suicide. We aimed to identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with belief in eight common suicide myths and the associations between beliefs in these myths and helping intentions and behaviors toward a family member or friend in severe distress or at risk of suicide. We conducted a random digit dial (mobile and landline) survey of 3002 Australian adults. We asked respondents about their beliefs in suicide myths, intentions to help a person in severe distress or at risk of suicide presented in a vignette, and helping actions taken toward such a person in the last 12 months. We weighted this data to be representative of the Australian population. Regression analyses were undertaken to determine associations between sociodemographic and exposure characteristics and beliefs in suicide myths, and between beliefs in myths and helping intentions and behaviors. Being male, speaking a language other than English at home and being over 60 years were associated with the strongest beliefs in suicide myths. The strongest and most consistent associations were found between belief in the myth ‘asking someone about suicide could make them start thinking about it’, risk assessment intentions and behaviours and intentions to undertaken actions not recommended for suicide prevention. Identifying those sociodemographic groups most likely to believe in suicide myths allows targeted intervention for suicide prevention education ‘debunking’ suicide myths. By isolating those myths that are most commonly believed, and their specific effects on helping intentions and behaviors, suicide prevention educators can target these specific myths to have the most effect on helping behavior. Our findings suggest that targeting the myth ‘asking someone about suicide could make them start thinking about it’ may have the greatest effects on helping behavior, and that men, those aged over 60 years and those speaking a language other than English at home could most benefit from myth ‘debunking’.

中文翻译：

---

对自杀预防神话的信念及其对帮助的影响：对澳大利亚成年人的全国代表性调查。

揭穿自杀神话，例如“询问某人有关自杀的事情可能会让他们开始思考它”是自杀预防教育的常见策略。然而，很少有研究调查自杀神话与对有自杀风险的人的帮助行为之间的关系。我们的目的是确定与八种常见自杀神话信仰相关的社会人口特征，以及这些神话信仰与对处于严重痛苦或有自杀风险的家庭成员或朋友的帮助意图和行为之间的关联。我们对 3002 名澳大利亚成年人进行了随机数字拨号（手机和固定电话）调查。我们向受访者询问了他们对自杀神话的看法、帮助处于严重痛苦或有自杀风险的人的意图，以及在过去 12 个月内针对此类人采取的帮助行动。我们对这些数据进行加权以代表澳大利亚人口。进行回归分析以确定社会人口特征和暴露特征与自杀神话信念之间的关联，以及神话信念与帮助意图和行为之间的关联。男性、在家里说英语以外的语言以及年龄超过 60 岁与最强烈的自杀神话相关。最强烈和最一致的关联存在于“询问某人关于自杀的问题可能会让他们开始考虑自杀”的神话信念、风险评估意图和行为以及采取不建议预防自杀的行动的意图之间。确定那些最有可能相信自杀神话的社会人口群体，可以有针对性地干预自杀预防教育，“揭穿”自杀神话。通过隔离那些最普遍相信的神话及其对帮助意图和行为的具体影响，自杀预防教育者可以针对这些特定的神话对帮助行为产生最大的影响。我们的研究结果表明，针对“询问某人关于自杀的问题可能会让他们开始考虑自杀”的神话可能对帮助行为产生最大的影响，而男性、60 岁以上的人和在家讲英语以外的语言的人最可能从神话“揭穿”中受益。