Regarding Japanese suicide attempts and computers...two references that may help: Alao AO, et. al. Cybersuicide: Review On the Role of the Internet on Suicide.Cyberpsych Behav. 2006:9;489-493. General review, not specific to Japan Hikikomori - a Japanese mental illness that often leads to suicide attempts and is related to computer use. Tamaki Saito is the Japanese expert on this. If you want help, I'd be glad to lend a hand. Jerald Block, MD Board-certified Psychiatrist jblock@aracnet.com 503-241-4882 ============================================================================ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:31:09 -0800 (PST) From: Christopher Helland <c_hella@yahoo.com> Subject: [Air-l] Information about online suicide pacts To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Message-ID: <20070116233109.69146.qmail@web52308.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ascii I'm wondering if anyone knows of any studies or ongoing research concerning online suicide pacts in Japan. The suicide rate in Japan is almost 20 times higher than their murder rate (one of the highest in the world)--and there appears to be "a frightening increase in the number of group suicides arranged over the Internet through chat rooms dedicated to discussing suicide." Any help researching this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Chris Helland Christopher Helland, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Sociology of Religion Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology Dalhousie University 6135 University Avenue, Rm. 1128 Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada B3H 4P9 Tel: (902) 494-6757 Fax:(902) 494-2897 http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~chelland/index.html