Suicidal ideation and behaviour in Spanish adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory study

Abstract

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic and its related containment measures, mainly physical distancing and isolation, are having detrimental consequences on the mental health of the juvenile infant population worldwide.

Objective. The objective was to identify those sociodemographic variables, victimization and resilience associated with suicidal behavior in Spanish adolescents since the beginning of the pandemic.

Method. The sample was comprised by 163 adolescents, aged 14 to 17 years (M = 15.81; SD = 1.03). Participants completed The DetectaWeb-Distress scale, the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, and the Adolescent Resilience Questionnaire for assessment of suicidality, victimization and resilience, respectively.

Results. 20.8% of the total participants expressed having thought about taking their own lives since the beginning of the confinement. Another 22.6% expressed having thought of some form or method to kill themselves. Finally, 7.4% expressed having tried to kill themselves. Victims of psychological abuse were five times more likely to present suicidal behavior and, on the contrary, to receive support from the environment confirmed resistance to suicide.

Conclusions. This study offers preliminary evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic may be contributing to suicidal behaviors in Spanish adolescents. Although it is still too early to safely recognize the deep footprint of the pandemic in different areas and, in particular, in self-caused death, it is unquestionable that the health crisis has revealed the urgent need to design and implement suicide prevention plans.