《中英對照讀新聞》Study：Suicide Query Won't Plant the Idea 研究：詢問自殺不會灌輸（行動）念頭

◎ 陳宜君

Asking teenagers about suicide won't make them more likely to contemplate it, as some parents and school officials fear, a study suggests. In fact, the study found that simply asking troubled students about any suicidal impulses appears to ease their distress and might make some of them less likely to try killing themselves.

詢問青少年有關自殺的問題，不會像部分家長和校方人員所擔心的那樣讓他們比較可能考慮這麼做，一項研究顯示。事實上，該研究發現，僅是詢問有困擾的學生有關任何自殺的衝動，似乎能減輕他們的痛苦，且可能讓其中某些人比較不會嘗試自殺。

The results confirm what many mental health experts already believe and should alleviate fears among some parents and schools that just mentioning suicide might plant the idea in teens' minds, said study author Madelyn Gould, a researcher at Columbia University and New York Psychiatric Institute.

這些結果證實許多心理衛生專家早就深信的事，應能減輕若干家長和學校認為僅是提及自殺就可能在青少年心中種下這個想法的恐懼，研究作者梅德琳．古德，哥倫比亞大學與紐約精神病學研究所的研究人員，如此表示。

National data suggest that each year more than 3 million youngsters aged 15 to 19 think seriously about committing suicide. About 1.7 million try it, with more than half of the attempts requiring medical attention; and about 1,600 succeed.

全國性的資料顯示，每年有超過三百萬年齡從十五到十九歲的年輕人認真考慮自殺。約一百七十萬人嘗試，其中半數以上需要醫療照顧，約一千六百人自殺成功。

Dictionary-新聞辭典

plant：本文中當作動詞，意為栽種。例句：The propaganda had planted the seeds of doubt in their minds. （這種宣傳已在他們心中播下懷疑的種子。）另外在非正式說法中，亦可作為栽贓。例句：These drugs aren't mine - they must have been planted on me! （這些毒品不是我的 - 我一定是被栽贓了！）

impulse：名詞，一時的念頭、衝動、推力。例句：The prime impulse of capitalism is the making of money . （資本主義的主要推動力是賺錢。）

alleviate：動詞，減輕。例句：The government tries to alleviate severe unemployment. （政府試圖舒緩嚴重的失業狀況。）

youngster：名詞，年輕人、小夥子、小孩。例句：Nunavut is a youngster of the Canadian family. （努納伏特是加拿大的新行政區。）