Echo Cluster Research

Echo Clusters

A rare and unique phenomenon has been identified through this research into Indigenous suicide in the Northern Territory, and is referred to as "Echo clusters". It is original research and they are subsequent but distinct clusters of completed suicide occurring after the initial suicide cluster.

This phenomenon, "Echo Clusters" has emerged with imitative suicide occurring well into the second year after the index or initial suicide within a cluster. Therefore the data analysis provided indirect evidence of "Echo Clusters", because of the persistence of the imitative suicides over time.

Highly significant space–time–method clustering was found in 230 Indigenous suicides within a twelve year period 1996–2007. Using space– time–method cluster analysis, imitation rises to about 21% with a time window 360 days providing persuasive evidence of suicide clustering and hence imitation. That the percentage is still rising to 27% at 540 days suggests evidence of the "Echo Cluster" phenomenon.

"Echo clusters" of completed suicide often appear when the intensity of attempted suicide reaches a critical threshold and when the community is no longer able to contain the contagion and respond to the frequency of attempted suicides.

Therefore, "Echo Clusters" are described as subsequent but distinct clusters of completed suicide, occurring after the initial or original suicide cluster, with the subsequent clusters repeating or 'echoing' over time. They develop within the complex social, political, economic, cultural, spiritual and communal Indigenous settings of urban, rural and remote northern Australia.

> Clusters Research & Diagrams

> Read more about Suicide Clusters

> Read more about Suicide Contagion and Imitation

Articles

> "Suicide (Echo) Clusters" – Are They Socially Determined, the Result of a Pre-existing Vulnerability in Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory and How Can We Contain Cluster Suicides?

> "Echo Clusters" - Are They a Unique Phenomenon of Indigenous Attempted and Completed Suicide?

> Imitation and Contagion Contributing to Suicide Clustering in Indigenous Communities: Time-Space-Method Cluster Analysis