A Nudge in a New Direction: Integrating Behavioral Economic Strategies Into Suicide Prevention Work
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2019
Abstract
Three commonly used behavioral economic strategies were tested to investigate their utility in suicide prevention and mental health initiatives. Study 1 used a social norms nudge to potentially increase the people who accessed an online suicide risk factor intervention via e-mail (N = 14,792). E-mails containing the social norm nudge were 164% more likely to click on the link relative to those who received the e-mail without the nudge. Study 2 used item count technique to better estimate suicidal ideation compared with direct questioning methods endorsed by two groups of online participants (N = 787). No difference between groups was found. Study 3 used framing techniques to understand if participants (N = 787) were more likely to access online coping skills when framed as being able to help others who may go through a suicidal crisis rather than themselves. Findings indicated more participants accessed the coping skills when framed as having utility for helping other people going through a suicidal crisis.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Clinical Psychological Science
First Page
612
Last Page
620
Recommended Citation
Bauer, B., Tucker, R., & Capron, D. (2019). A Nudge in a New Direction: Integrating Behavioral Economic Strategies Into Suicide Prevention Work. Clinical Psychological Science, 7 (3), 612-620. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702618809367