Linguistic Indicators of Suicidality in Crisis Negotiations

Abstract

Current data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBIs) Hostage, Barricade, and Suicide (HOBAS) data base indicates that suicides and attempted suicides account for more than one-third of all crisis negotiation incidents to which police respond and that barricade stand-offs, which may involve potential suicides, account for nearly an additional two-thirds of all reported incidents. It is, therefore, essential that insight into potential predictors of suicidality is a critical concern to crisis negotiators as they strive to successfully resolve incidents involving mentally and emotionally distraught persons. Research derived from clinical investigations of suicidal ideation and suicide enactment suggests that certain linguistic dimensions of subject verbal communication do predict suicidality. Specifically, use of personal pronouns, word length, emotional words, and adjective and adverb usage are regarded as indicators of suicide. This investigation explored the power of these and other linguistic variables to differentiate crisis negotiation incidents that ended in suicide or surrender. Results indicate that clinically derived linguistic correlates of suicide do not hold true in crisis incidents.