In 2021, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, with 48,183 Americans taking their own lives. Among adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 24, the suicide rate was approximately 15 per 100,000.
Based on the most recent Youth Risk Behaviors Survey from 2021, 10% of youth in grades 9-12 reported that they had made at least one suicide attempt in the past 12 months. Female students attempted 1.86 times as often as male students (13% vs. 7%).
The aftermath of suicide, suicide attempts, and self-harm has a profound impact on teens, families, schools, and communities.
The Vulnerability of Adolescent Populations
Adolescents face various challenges, from academic pressures to ever-changing social dynamics and identity development. Members of this age group grapple with wanting social inclusion while seeking independence, which makes them vulnerable to challenges with their mental health.
Risk factors for adolescent suicide can include:
- Access to lethal means
- History of trauma or behavioral health diagnosis, medical illness or disability, & genetic predisposition
- How connected one feels with family, caregivers, friends, teachers, or other supports
- Experiencing bullying or peer pressure
- Social media/internet exposure to harmful content, bullying, or unrealistic body image ideals
Social workers can assess these factors through connection, screening, and open conversation with their clients.
Social Workers: Frontline Guardians
Most social workers will, over the course of their careers, encounter at least one client who is contemplating suicide.
Social workers can take the first step in reducing teen suicides by building trust with their adolescent clients. This helps foster open dialogue about their thoughts and intentions.
Collaboration with educational institutions, caregivers, nonprofit organizations, and other mental health professionals can increase the effectiveness of interventions and the impact social workers can have.
Social workers can use assessments and skills to identify warning signs of adolescent suicide:
- Discuss the intensity, frequency, and duration of suicidal thoughts.
- Inquire about plans and potential attempts.
- Use questionnaires such as C-SSRS (available here).
- Implement safety planning using tools like the Stanley-Brown tool (available here).
- Create an environment safe from self-harm (e.g., remove firearms, store medications safely).
- Collaborate with caregivers, especially concerning access to lethal means.
Adolescent clients require focused expertise from social workers, which can include forming a trusting relationship, having difficult conversations, appropriate screening and referral, and considering the factors that can be protective or risk factors for suicide.
Through proactive screening and intervention, social workers can be instrumental in the lives of adolescents and their families.
Support
If you think someone is in danger of harming themselves, call 911, your local emergency number, or a suicide hotline.
In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, this hotline offers emotional support, information, and support for loved ones of those at risk for suicide.
Lifeline Chat Services are free and confidential and available in the U.S. They offer a toll-free Spanish-language phone line at 888-628-9454.
Resources
More on this topic can be found in the Continued Social Work course: Understanding and Assessing Suicidality in Adolescents: A Comprehensive Approach, presented by Lauren Dennelly, PhD, MSW, LCSW
References
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Suicide statistics. (2023). https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics
Feldman, B. N., & Freedenthal, S. (2006). Social work education in suicide intervention and prevention: An unmet need?. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(4), 467-480.
