Wiener Werkstætte for Suicide Research

About us

Since its foundation, the Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research has been an interdisciplinary group of researchers devoted to fostering research collaboration and progress in suicidology. We intend to facilitate networking between suicide research and prevention practice, as well as research-based cooperation with universities, and the mentoring of young scientists. To intensify our network, we cooperate with colleagues, both nationally and internationally, in order to promote suicide research and to implement research findings in prevention programs. We are in collaboration with the Austrian Association for Suicide Prevention (ÖGS), the German Association for Suicide Prevention (DGS) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and several other national and international organizations in the field. As evidenced by the its research output, the Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research is currently one of the most active suicide prevention research groups in Europe.

Research

Our main research projects are:

Main fields of research include:

  • suicide epidemiology
  • suicide and the media, Werther and Papageno effects
  • public health and basic psychological research relating to suicide research
  • psychiatric epidemiology with a special focus on mental disorders
  • suicidality in children, adolescents, and the elderly
  • gun control laws
  • and quantitative and qualitative research methodology

History

History of the Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research

The Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research was founded during the First International Symposium on Media and Suicide in 2007 in Vienna. Founding members were Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Benedikt Till, Arno Herberth, Elmar Etzersdorfer, Martin Voracek, Nestor Kapusta and Gernot Sonneck. Since 2010, the Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research has been officially registered as an association to promote high-quality suicide research. The Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research has grown steadily through an early-adopted focus on mentoring young scientists interested in suicidology and relevant neighbouring fields. Interdisciplinarity is a core aspect of the Werkstaette and accordingly, members are from diverse professions and backgrounds. The Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research has been awarded the Erwin Ringel Prize from the Austrian Association for Suicide Prevention (ÖGS) in 2010 and 2014 the Hans Rost Prize in 2012 for scientific achievements in the field of suicidology. The 100th working meeting took place in 2017. We look forward to many future scientific endeavours for a better understanding of suicide and self-harm and the improvement of suicide prevention in Austria, Europe and globally.