Abstract

Although it has been stated that the majority of suicidal people give definite warnings of their suicidal intention, a percentage of suicidal people may dissemble (or mask), possibly 20%. The aim of this psychological autopsy (PA) study was to explore the mask of suicide, examining age and sex of the decedent, and survivors’ relationship to the deceased. A PA study in Norway, with 120 survivors/informants, was undertaken. Overall, 80% of informants reported manifest and/or latent content of deception (dissembling); well above the 20% suggested. Three main themes emerged from the interviews of the 95 survivors that were related to the mask. In the opinion of the bereaved, reasons for the mask were due to: 1) Inability to adjust/impairment; 2) Relational problems; and 3) Weakened resilience. Differences in masking or (self) deception were found in the age of the decedent, but not in sex, nor in the survivors’ closeness of the relationship. Older deceased people were perceived to exhibit more dissembling, associated to the suicide. Limitations are noted in this beginning study into the mask of suicide, and it is concluded that much greater research is needed to unmask the dangerous dissembling, maybe in some, self-deception.

摘要

尽管有人说大多数有自杀倾向的人对他们的自杀意图给出了明确的警告，但有一部分有自杀倾向的人可能会伪装（或掩饰），可能是 20%。这项心理尸检 (PA) 研究的目的是探索自杀的面具，检查死者的年龄和性别，以及幸存者与死者的关系。在挪威进行了一项涉及 120 名幸存者/线人的 PA 研究。总体而言，80% 的线人报告了明显和/或潜在的欺骗内容（伪装）；远高于建议的 20%。对与面具有关的 95 名幸存者的采访中出现了三个主要主题。死者家属认为，戴口罩的原因是：1）无法调整/受损；2) 关系问题；3) 弹性减弱。在死者的年龄中发现了掩饰或（自我）欺骗的差异，但在性别和幸存者的关系密切程度方面没有发现差异。人们认为年长的死者表现出更多的伪装，这与自杀有关。在这项关于自杀面具的初步研究中注意到了局限性，并且得出的结论是，需要进行更多的研究来揭露危险的伪装，也许在某些情况下是自欺欺人。