Conference Agenda
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PS42: Online and Digital Media in Suicide Risk and Prevention
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Self-harm and suicide-related social media exposure and engagement among LGBTQ+ young Australians: A national survey 1: School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Australia; 2: Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; 3: Orygen, Australia Background Self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing in young people, with social media cited as a contributing factor. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately affected by self-harm and suicide, and they report higher social media engagement than their cisgender, heterosexual peers. However, limited research has examined the self-harm and suicide-related social media experiences of LGBTQ+ youth. This study examined patterns of engagement with such content among LGBTQ+ Australians, perceived impacts on wellbeing, and views on improving platform safety. Methods A national cross-sectional survey (January-March 2024) measured demographics, psychological distress (K10), exposure to and creation of self-harm and suicide-related content, perceived impacts on wellbeing, help-seeking behaviours, and views on platform safety. Descriptive statistics examined exposure, engagement, perceived impacts, and support-seeking. Logistic regression models assessed associations between LGBTQ+ identity, lived experience of self-harm or suicide, and engagement with self-harm and suicide-related content. Subgroup analyses explored differences across LGBTQ+ cohorts. Results Of 3,539 respondents, 554 identified as LGBTQ+ (all ages), including 212 aged 16–25. Among LGBTQ+ youth, 42 identified as trans or gender diverse. LGBTQ+ participants had twice the odds of exposure to self-harm or suicide-related content compared to non-LGBTQ+ participants (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.58–2.53). Among them, 92% had been exposed (vs. 71% of non-LGBTQ+ youth), 19% had created such content (vs. 7%), and 40% had intentionally searched for it (vs. 14%). LGBTQ+ participants had more than twice the odds of using social media to seek support for self-harm or suicide compared to their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI 1.98–3.51). Conclusion Findings highlight social media’s dual role for LGBTQ+ youth as both a source of support and potential harm. Their higher engagement with self-harm and suicide-related content highlights the need for targeted suicide prevention interventions and platform policies that reduce risk while preserving opportunities for connection and support. Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention on Social Media: A Systematic Review of Interventions and User Practices (2014–2025) 1: School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Australia; 2: Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; 3: Orygen, Australia Background Rates of youth self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing, with social media often cited as a potential contributor. While extensive research has examined associations between social media use and suicide-related outcomes, less attention has been given to the role of social media in suicide prevention. This review updates Robinson et al.'s 2016 review, evaluating current evidence on social media’s role in suicide prevention. Methods A pre-registered systematic search of five electronic databases identified studies published after April 2014. Data extracted included study design, intervention type, outcomes, limitations, and implications. A narrative synthesis was conducted to qualitatively integrate findings. Results From 16,476 records, 75 studies met inclusion criteria, covering universal, selective, and indicated interventions. Studies were classified as reporting: intervention development; intervention evaluation; qualitative user experiences; or social media content analysis. Key activities identified include safe-communication guidelines, awareness campaigns, peer support communities, in-platform brief interventions, and AI-supported risk detection paired with crisis intervention. Many individuals disclose suicidal thoughts on social media, particularly when facing barriers to offline support. Results support the feasibility and safety of some social media interventions. Benefits included enhancing help-seeking, enabling crisis support, and promoting safer online communication. Many users benefit from social connection, coping strategies, and peer support. Social media users were often motivated to intervene online but lacked the skills to do so safely. Exposure to harmful content, inadequate moderation, and hostile interactions can heighten distress or facilitate imitative behaviors. Study quality varied, with small samples limiting generalizability. Conclusions This review reveals a range of user-led suicide prevention activities alongside a growing number of platform-based suicide prevention interventions already being implemented in real-world settings. However, limited evidence of effectiveness constrains our understanding of benefits, risks, and optimal implementation. Rigorous longitudinal and experimental research is needed to guide safe, evidence-informed practice and platform policy. How do LGBTQ+ Australian social media users experience self-harm and suicide-related content? A qualitative study 1: School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Australia; 2: Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; 3: Orygen, Australia Background Self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing in young people, and social media has been identified as a potential contributing factor. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately affected and report higher levels of social media engagement than their cisgender, heterosexual peers. However, limited research has examined the self-harm and suicide-related social media experiences of LGBTQ+ young people. This qualitative study examined how LGBTQ+ young people experience exposure to self-harm and suicide-related content, how they communicate about and seek support for these experiences, and how these online experiences impact wellbeing. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 LGBTQ+ young Australians aged 15–25 years who had previously participated in a national survey on self-harm and suicide-related social media use. Participants were purposively sampled based on recent experience engaging with self-harm or suicide-related content. Online interviews explored experiences of exposure, posting, and support-seeking on social media, perceived impacts on wellbeing, and views on platform moderation and safety features. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Preliminary analysis has identified three themes. First, participants described high and often unavoidable exposure to self-harm and suicide-related content. Second, social media was commonly described as a key setting for disclosure, connection, and support-seeking when barriers to offline support existed. Third, LGBTQ+-focused online communities were described as fostering belonging and emotional support during crises, while also generating unintended harms, including emotional burden from supporting distressed peers, repeated exposure to others’ distress which in some cases led to imitative behaviours. Conclusion Social media serves as both a source of support and a site of risk for LGBTQ+ young people communicating about self-harm and suicide. These findings highlight the need for multifaceted suicide prevention strategies and platform policies that are culturally responsive, informed by lived experience, and attentive to both the benefits and harms of online communication for LGBTQ+ communities. Post-media campaign changes in attitudes to suicide and help-seeking in the indigenous Sami and majority Norwegian population in North-Norway 1: University of Oslo, Norway; 2: Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway Background In summer 2024, a suicide prevention media campaign was carried out in the North-Norway region, which has a sizable indigenous Sami minority. International research shows that help-seeking for suicide thoughts is lower in indigenous peoples than in the majority ethnic population. The present study aims to compare the attitudes to suicide and help-seeking in the Sami group and the majority Norwegian group.
Methods Through an online survey completed before and after the campaign, 31 attitudes to suicide, mental illness, and help-seeking were assessed in 1 031 individuals (mean age 50.7 [SD 16.4] years, 50.4% males, 49.6% females) sampled from the general population. Among these respondents, 93 individuals identified as Sami. Campaign material in the Norwegian and Sami languages was spread across digital and print media for six weeks.
Results In the Sami group, there were no significant changes in attitudes to suicide or help-seeking after the campaign. Moreover, significantly more Sami participants had been bereaved by suicide, reported recurrent suicide thoughts, or had attempted suicide once. In the majority Norwegian group, there was post-campaign increased knowledge about where to seek help, agreement with social norms to seek help, and trust in the health care services to provide help for suicide thoughts. However, the effect sizes were small.
Conclusion The media campaign did not change attitudes to suicide or help-seeking in the Sami group, whereas small changes in the positive direction were found in the Norwegian group. There was a higher frequency of suicide bereavement and suicidal behaviour in the Sami sample, which may have impacted the possibility of attitude change. These results underscore first the need for exploration of sub-groups of this sample, and then for suicide prevention interventions tailored to the specific needs of the Sami population in North-Norway. Identifying Important Content and Design Characteristics of Helpful Suicide Prevention Websites: Qualitative Evidence from Key Stakeholders 1: Medical University of Vienna, Center for Public Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Public Mental Health Research Unit, Austria; 2: Wiener Werkstaette for Suicide Research, Austria; 3: Syracuse University, Department of Public Administration and International Affairs, USA; 4: Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Center for Policy Research, USA; 5: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Canada; 6: University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, Canada Introduction Educative websites have been increasingly used in suicide prevention in the last few decades, but content and design features vary widely between these websites. There is a lack of research about stakeholder perspectives regarding how such websites should be designed in order to elicit preventive effects. Methods This study aimed to identify website features that would be most helpful for users who (1) are experiencing suicidal distress, (2) have lost a family member or friend to suicide, or (3) are concerned about someone with suicidal thoughts. A total of 30 individuals from Austria participated in nine German-language focus groups—three each with individuals with lived experience of suicidal ideation (n = 10), experts in suicide prevention (n = 9), and media professionals (n = 12)—to discuss relevant content and design features of suicide prevention websites. The audio-recorded data was transcribed and analyzed with a thematic analysis approach. Results All groups agreed that effective suicide prevention websites should prioritize authentic stories of hope and recovery from individuals with lived experience and diverse backgrounds, complemented by epidemiological and expert information, tailored recommendations for different target groups, and a clear overview of help services with an explicit call to seek help. Regarding design, participants emphasized concise content, easy navigation, clearly labeled sections for specific audiences, and a modern, intuitive layout with high-quality, hopeful visuals and mixed media formats, including professionally produced videos. Conclusions This study highlights features considered important for suicide prevention websites to be effective according to the perspectives of individuals with lived experience as well as media and mental health professionals. The insights provided can guide public institutions and NGOs in planning or updating web content related to suicide prevention. This work was funded in whole by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [Grant-DOI: 10.55776/P36388]. | ||