Characterizing potential online influences of suicidal ideation and behavior in adolescents in psychiatric crisis
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Data from the past decade suggest that suicide remains a leading cause of death in adolescents, with alarming trends indicating increased rates among ethnic and racial minorities. Suicidality (suicidal ideation, behaviors or intent) can be influenced by a variety of social interpersonal factors, including but not limited to social media use and online presence. This study aims to investigate the potential online influences of suicidal ideation in adolescents aged 13 to 18 years old. Participants aged 13-18 admitted to the BCH Emergency Department in psychiatric crisis with a history of suicidal ideation were administered a one-time cross-sectional survey that collected demographic information and engagement with suicide-related online content. Specifically, we assessed for use of online communication to reduce suicidal thoughts or receive help, and looking up suicide-related online information either to reduce suicidal thoughts or for suicide-planning purposes. Results indicated that the majority of participating adolescents used online platforms TikTok and Snapchat for communication of suicide related-content, while google was the most visited platform for research of suicide related-content. While nearly all surveyed youth (98%) reported some history of engaging with suicide-related content online, only 47% of those respondents reported reductions in suicidality following this online engagement.
Description
2025