A Preliminary Examination on the Effects of Digital Avatar Use in Lethal Means Safety Interventions for Suicide

Firearms account for over half of all suicide deaths each year. Lethal means safety interventions reduce suicide risk by increasing secure storage of lethal means. Factors associated with messaging, messenger, and recipient may influence intervention receptivity. Digital avatars may provide an avenue to better understand these factors via direct, controlled experimental manipulation. This study examined: (1) the potential utility of digital avatars in delivering lethal means safety interventions, (2) if messenger characteristics influenced willingness to engage in secure firearm storage, and (3) if recipient characteristics influenced willingness to engage in secure firearm storage. Participants (N = 365), including predominantly White (82.1%), male (54.4%) firearm owners (Mage = 41.32, SD = 13.17) from the U.S. were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions, receiving a standardized lethal means safety message delivered by digital avatars which varied by messenger occupation (law enforcement officer or physician) and gender (male or female). Participants completed self-report measures of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, firearm storage methods, and participant-level factors related to firearm storage. Results indicated that messenger characteristics did not influence willingness to engage in secure storage. Within-subjects analyses indicated increased willingness to engage in secure storage to prevent another household member’s suicide compared to their own suicide. Additionally, increased perceived threat to Second Amendment rights predicted decreased willingness to engage in secure storage. Minimal attrition and sustained attention to digital messengers were evidenced. These results provide initial support for the use of digital avatars in lethal means safety interventions and provide insight regarding factors associated with willingness to store firearms securely.