Matthew Nock, a Harvard University psychology professor studying suicide prevention, has received a MacArthur Fellowship, which includes a no-strings-attached grant of $500,000 ($100,000 annually for five years). The fellowships, popularly known as the “genius” awards, were announced on September 20 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Most recently, Nock’s research has identified a behavioral marker that might help predict suicide attempts. His research indicates that individuals who are suicidal react differently than non-suicidal people when they see words such as “suicide” or “death” on the monitor during a computer game. Seeing these words “captures their thinking and slows down their response,” Nock told The Los Angeles Times. “It’s an objective marker. It doesn’t require them to tell you whether they are suicidal.” At the same time, a recent study – published in Academic Pediatrics – has found that suicidal teens are not likely to get the mental health care they need. Among other findings, the researchers found that when all types of mental health services were combined (including antidepressants and care received through outside sources), only 26 percent of teens with suicidal ideation in the study received services the previous year.
Sources: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-macarthur-suicide-20110920,0,2354849.story
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-09/sc-sfo091311.php
Reposted at darkestcloset.blogspot.com
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