A systematic review of the relationship between internet use, self-harm and suicidal behaviour in young people: The good, the bad and the unknown

Purpose – The internet plays an important role in the lives of self-harming and suicidal young people yet little is known about how internet use influences this behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evidence base with a view to determining directions for future research and practice. Design/methodology/approach – Literature relating to self-harming and suicidal behaviour, young people, and the internet is reviewed with a focus on content and methodology. Findings – The internet provides access to: “how-to” descriptions of suicide; unregulated/illegal online pharmacies; forums to spread this information; access to others seeking to end their own lives. Such sites are believed to elevate risk amongst vulnerable individuals. Conversely, the internet provides access to intervention and prevention activity, online support groups, advice, and personal chat. These can be a key resource in helping young people. There is a lack of consensus on what constitutes harmful and helpful online exchange, often evidenced in disparity between the perceptions of professionals and users. Research limitations/implications – Research is needed to map out a more accurate picture of suicide and self-harm resources on the internet and to establish a consensus about what constitutes harmful and helpful exchange. This needs to be based on: a comprehensive and informed range of search terms; a clear distinction between types of resource; a clear and consistent rationale for distinguishing and categorizing sites; a systematic replicable methodology for plotting the scope, content, accessibility, and popularity of web resources at a given point in time; the views of young people who use these sites, as well as practitioners and professionals. Practical implications – Practitioners need to: regularly assess the quantity, quality, and nature of self-harm/suicide focused internet use amongst service users; be aware of which sites are most appropriate for particular individuals; promote sites directed at young people that enhance effective coping. Professional mental health organizations need to find ways of ensuring that: they are consistently well represented amongst search results online; sites are readily accessible; more practitioners are trained in text-based communications. Originality/value – This paper offers a framework and rationale for future research and for those involved in service provision, policy, and practice.

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A systematic review on the relationship between childhood exposure to external cause parental death, including suicide, on subsequent suicidal behaviour

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.082 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 257 ◽

pp. 723-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Phuong Hua ◽

Lyndal Bugeja ◽

Myfanwy Maple

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Suicidal Behaviour ◽

Parental Death ◽

Childhood Exposure ◽

The Relationship

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The relationship between Internet use and self-concept clarity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cyberpsychology Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace ◽

10.5817/cp2021-2-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Cristina Elena Petre

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Internet Use ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Self Concept ◽

The Internet ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Evaluation ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

The Relationship

There are three hypotheses regarding the relationship between Self-Concept Clarity (SCC) and Internet use. It was argued that Internet use: 1) decreases SCC, 2) increases SCC, 3) does not relate with SCC. The present study, in the form of a systematic and meta-analytic synthesis, aimed to explore: a) the extent empirical evidence can support each hypothesis; b) how Internet use-SCC relationship was addressed across studies; c) the intensity of the Internet use –SCC relationship; d) potential moderators. Twenty-one studies (N = 8,910) met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review (i.e., being quantitative, written in English, concerned with Internet use -SCC relationship) and 11 studies (N = 3,298) met the additional criteria for meta-analysis (i.e., being correlational, using self-evaluation instruments, quantifying general Internet use and including the information needed to calculate the meta-analysis specific indicators). Results emphasized that all three hypotheses are plausible, as distinct dimensions of Internet use related differently with SCC. However, the conclusions were limited by the extensive use of cross-sectional design. For general Internet use and SCC relationship the overall effect was -0.350, p < .01. Some moderators were significant: cultural background, Internet operationalization, age homogeneity, participants rewarding. This paper outlines the complexity of SCC – Internet relationship and underlines some of the gaps that should be further addressed. Implications and limits of the study (e.g., publication bias, excluded outcomes in the meta-analysis or possible omission of moderators) are discussed.

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Self-harm and suicidal behaviour in Ghana: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053144 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. e053144

Author(s):

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie ◽

Kwaku Oppong Asante ◽

Johnny Andoh-Arthur

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Global Health ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Suicide Prevention ◽

Suicidal Behaviour ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Risk And Protective Factors ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Self Harm

IntroductionSelf-harm and suicidal behaviour represent major global health problems, which account for significant proportions of the disease burden in low-income and middle-income countries, including Ghana. This review aims to synthesise the available and accessible evidence on prevalence estimates, correlates, risk and protective factors, the commonly reported methods and reasons for self-harm and suicidal behaviour in Ghana.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a systematic review reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (2009) recommendations. Regional and global electronic databases (African Journals OnLine, African Index Medicus, APA PsycINFO, Global Health, MEDLINE and PubMed) will be searched systematically up to December 2021 for observational studies and qualitative studies that have reported prevalence estimates, correlates, risk and protective factors, methods and reasons for self-harm and suicidal behaviour in Ghana. The electronic database searches will be supplemented with reference harvesting and grey literature searching in Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global for postgraduate dissertations. Only records in English will be included. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (2018) will be used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Meta-analysis or narrative synthesis or both will be used, contingent on the extent of heterogeneity across eligible observational studies.Ethics and disseminationConsidering that this is a systematic review of accessible and available literature, we will not seek ethical approval. On completion, this review will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, be disseminated publicly at (mental) health conferences with focus on self-harm and suicide prevention. The important findings would also be shared with key national stakeholder groups in Ghana: Ghana Association for Suicide Prevention, Ghana Mental Health Authority, Ghana Psychological Association, Centre for Suicide and Violence Research, Accra and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health.Prospero registration numberCRD42021234622.

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Self-harm and suicidal behaviour among LGBTQ+ young people: An overlooked public mental health issue in Africa

International Journal of Social Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0020764020962145 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 002076402096214

Author(s):

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Suicidal Behaviour ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Health Issue ◽

Mental Health Issue ◽

Self Harm

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A Systematic Review of Amenable Resilience Factors That Moderate and/or Mediate the Relationship Between Childhood Adversity and Mental Health in Young People

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00230 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Jessica Fritz ◽

Anne M. de Graaff ◽

Helen Caisley ◽

Anne-Laura van Harmelen ◽

Paul O. Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Young People ◽

Childhood Adversity ◽

Resilience Factors ◽

The Relationship

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A Systematic Review of Amenable Resilience Factors that Moderate and/or Mediate the Relationship between Childhood Adversity and Mental Health in Young People

10.31219/osf.io/bkyax ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Fritz ◽

Anne de Graaff ◽

Helen Caisley ◽

Anne-Laura Van Harmelen ◽

Paul O. Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Young People ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Childhood Adversity ◽

Future Research ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Resilience Factors ◽

The Relationship

THIS IS A PRE-PRINT OF AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN "FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY - SPECIAL ISSUE: RESILIENCE, LIFE EVENTS, TRAJECTORIES AND THE BRAIN (9: 230)". THE FINAL AUTHENTICATED VERSION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00230Background: Up to half of Western children and adolescents experience at least one type of childhood adversity. Individuals with a history of childhood adversity have an increased risk of psychopathology. Resilience enhancing factors reduce the risk of psychopathology following childhood adversity. A comprehensive overview of empirically supported resilience factors is critically important for interventions aimed to increase resilience in young people. Moreover, such an overview may aid the development of novel resilience theories. Therefore, we conducted the first systematic review of social, emotional, cognitive and/ or behavioural resilience factors after childhood adversity.Methods: We systematically searched Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus (e.g. including MEDLINE) for English, Dutch and German literature. We included cohort studies that examined whether a resilience factor was a moderator and/ or a mediator for the relationship between childhood adversity and psychopathology in young people (mean age 13-24). Therefore, studies were included if the resilience factor was assessed prior to psychopathology, and childhood adversity was assessed no later than the resilience factor. Study data extraction was based on the STROBE report and study quality was assessed with an adapted version of Downs and Black’s scale. The preregistered protocol can be found at: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42016051978.Results: The search identified 1969 studies, of which 22 were included (eight nationalities, study sample n range: 59-6780). We found empirical support for 13 of 25 individual-level (e.g. high self-esteem, low rumination), six of 12 family-level (e.g. high family cohesion, high parental involvement), and one of five community-level resilience factors (i.e. high social support), to benefit mental health in young people exposed to childhood adversity. Single versus multiple resilience factor models supported the notion that resilience factors should not be studied in isolation, and that interrelations between resilience factors should be taken into account when predicting psychopathology after childhood adversity.Conclusions: Interventions that improve individual, family, and/ or social support resilience factors may reduce the risk of psychopathology following childhood adversity. Future research should scrutinize whether resilience factors function as a complex interrelated system that benefits mental health resilience after childhood adversity.

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