This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Loa Knizek, B. Articles by Hjelmeland, H. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Theoretical Model for Interpreting Suicidal Behaviour as Communication

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, birthe.loa.knizek{at}svt.ntnu.no

Heidi Hjelmeland

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY/NORWEGIAN INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, heidi.hjelmeland{at}svt.ntnu.no

Theoretical publications have been relatively few and far between in suicidology. This paper is a contribution to the theoretical development of this field. A model of suicidal behaviour as communication (MoSBaC) is elaborated through a combination of Scandinavian theories within the framework of communication theory and semiotics. The model is functional as it can be used as a tool to analyse both verbal and non-verbal data. It is also flexible in the sense that a variety of qualitative data can be analysed systematically by this model. The typology of the model also is suitable for quantitative approaches. The scientific and multidisciplinary grounds on which a model should be built, what requirements it has to meet, as well as the methodological consequences of this, are also discussed.

Key Words: communication theory • qualitative methods • semiotics • speech-act theory • suicidal behaviour • taxonomy

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?