The research identified various risk factors contributing to teen suicide. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder were found to be significant factors. Additionally, changes associated with puberty or substance use disorder were identified as potential triggers. Exposure to violence or bullying, access to guns or medication, and experiencing the loss of a close family member or friend were also highlighted as factors that could exacerbate the risk of suicide among teenagers. Understanding and addressing these risk factors are essential for developing effective interventions and support systems to safeguard the well-being of adolescents.
According to Harvard researchers, the shift to remote learning during the Covid pandemic had significant social-emotional impacts on students. Families reported observing an increase in temper tantrums, anxiety, and difficulty managing emotions, especially among younger children. The lack of in-person instruction also led to learning deficits among children, as noted in an analysis published in the Nature Human Behaviour journal. Additionally, limited face-to-face interaction affected children's normal social development.
School guidance counselors also noticed a surge in cases of depression and anxiety during the pandemic, as reported by the New York Times. A Pew Research Center survey revealed that 40% of parents expressed that mental health concerns were a more significant worry than physical threats, drugs, alcohol, or teen pregnancy.
Overall, the pandemic has underscored the importance of social-emotional well-being and mental health support for students, emphasizing the need for effective strategies to address the challenges brought about by remote learning and its impact on young minds.
Researchers with the University of Texas’s Houston School of Public Health studied more than 73,000 emergency department visits and hospitalizations between 2016 and 2021, of which there were an average of 964 suicide-related visits per 100,000 children between ages 10 and 18 each year.