In a troubling trend, studies indicate that 1 in 6 young people in 59 low- and middle-income countries have attempted suicide, signaling an urgent need for effective preventive strategies.
Addressing this concern, researchers from Norway and Denmark have employed artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of machine learning to identify factors closely linked to suicide attempts among young people.
Their findings, which involve data from 173,664 Norwegian teenagers aged 13 to 18 years, have been published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
The study reveals that 4.65% of the participants had attempted suicide in the past 12 months.
Milan Obaidi, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen and a key researcher in this project, emphasizes the inadequacy of current methods in estimating risk factors, highlighting the importance of this AI-driven approach.
One of the most significant findings of the study is that recent self-harm is the foremost indicator of the risk for suicide attempts.
Additionally, the researchers identified five other critical risk factors: internalizing problems like anxiety and depression, sleep disturbances, eating disorders, a pessimistic outlook on future prospects, and victimization.
Previous efforts to use machine learning for identifying suicide risk have fallen short, often neglecting the interplay of protective and risk factors and established theories on suicidal behavior.
In contrast, the new AI model developed by these researchers is the most accurate to date, offering a more nuanced understanding of suicide risk among young people.
According to Obaidi, the risk of suicide attempts in youth is not merely the sum of various societal, economic, and psychological pressures.
Instead, intra- and interpersonal processes, such as lack of optimism regarding education and career prospects, conflicts in close relationships, and experiences of victimization, play a crucial role.
To combat the alarming increase in suicide attempts among young people, Obaidi advocates for a holistic approach that considers both risks and protective factors across individual, psychological, sociological, and environmental domains.
This comprehensive strategy is vital for developing effective prevention and intervention programs to address this critical public health issue.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
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The research findings can be found in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
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