title: Genuine and simulated suicide notes: An analysis of content.
abstract: The present study examined genuine and simulated suicide notes aiming to identify the measures of content that best differentiate between the two. Thirty-three genuine and thirty-three simulated suicide notes were content-analysed and data subjected to smallest space analysis (SSA), a Multidimensional Scaling Procedure. The core of all suicide notes was discovered to be constructed with the use of three variables: expressions of love, positive construction of partner and apologies. Furthermore, four different genuine suicide note themes ('planned escape', 'negative affect and self-mitigation', 'positive affect and failed relationship', 'lack of self-acceptance') and three simulated suicide note themes ('escape', 'positive affect and self-blame', 'purposeless life') were identified revealing that authentic suicide note themes were more internally consistent and clearer to interpret.
authors.affiliation: International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology (IRCIP), University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK. Electronic address: m.ioannou@hud.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.affiliation: International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology (IRCIP), University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debowska
keywords: Genuine suicide notes; MDS analysis; Simulated suicide notes; Suicide; Suicide notes