IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v157y2016icp31-38.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The power of (Mis)perception: Rethinking suicide contagion in youth friendship networks

Author

Listed:
  • Zimmerman, Gregory M.
  • Rees, Carter
  • Posick, Chad
  • Zimmerman, Lori A.

Abstract

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth. In the wake of peer suicide, youth are vulnerable to suicide contagion. But, questions remain about the mechanisms through which suicide spreads and the accuracy of youths' estimates of friends' suicidal behaviors. This study addresses these questions within school-aged youths' friendship networks. Social network data were drawn from two schools in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, from which 2180 youth in grades 7–12 nominated up to ten friends. A measure of “perceived” friends' attempted suicide was constructed based on respondents' reports of their friends' attempted suicide. This measure was broader than a “true” measure of friends' attempted suicide, constructed from self-reports of nominated friends who attended respondents' schools. Sociograms graphically represented the accuracy with which suicide attempters estimated friends' suicide attempts. Results from cross-tabulation with Chi-square analysis indicated that approximately 4% of youth (88/2180) attempted suicide, and these youth disproportionately misperceived (predominantly overestimated) friends' suicidal behaviors, compared to non-suicide-attempters. Penalized logistic regression models indicated that friends' self-reported attempted suicide was unrelated to respondent attempted suicide. But, the odds of respondent attempted suicide were 2.54 times higher (95% CI, 1.06–6.10) among youth who accurately perceived friends' attempted suicide, and 5.40 times higher (95% CI, 3.34–8.77) among youth who overestimated friends' attempted suicide. The results suggest that at-risk youth overestimate their friends' suicidal behaviors, which exacerbates their own risk of suicidal behavior. Methodologically, this suggests that a continued collaboration among network scientists, suicide researchers, and medical providers is necessary to further examine the mechanisms surrounding this phenomenon. Practically, it is important to screen at-risk youth for exposure to peer suicide and to use the social environment created by adolescent friendship networks to empower and support youth who are susceptible to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Zimmerman, Gregory M. & Rees, Carter & Posick, Chad & Zimmerman, Lori A., 2016. "The power of (Mis)perception: Rethinking suicide contagion in youth friendship networks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 31-38.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:157:y:2016:i:c:p:31-38
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.03.046
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953616301459
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.03.046?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schaefer, D.R. & Haas, S.A. & Bishop, N.J., 2012. "A dynamic model of US adolescents' smoking and friendship networks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(6), pages 12-18.
    2. Luxton, D.D. & June, J.D. & Fairall, J.M., 2012. "Social media and suicide: A public health perspective," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(S2), pages 195-200.
    3. Rockett, I.R.H. & Regier, M.D. & Kapusta, N.D. & Coben, J.H. & Miller, T.R. & Hanzlick, R.L. & Todd, K.H. & Sattin, R.W. & Kennedy, L.W. & Kleinig, J. & Smith, G.S., 2012. "Leading causes of unintentional and intentional injury mortality: United States, 2000-2009," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(11), pages 84-92.
    4. Bearman, P.S. & Moody, J., 2004. "Suicide and Friendships among American Adolescents," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(1), pages 89-95.
    5. Wyman, P.A. & Brown, C.H. & LoMurray, M. & Schmeelk-Cone, K. & Petrova, M. & Yu, Q. & Walsh, E. & Tu, X. & Wang, W., 2010. "An outcome evaluation of the sources of strength suicide prevention program delivered by adolescent peer leaders in high schools," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(9), pages 1653-1661.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Keith M Harris & Silvana Bettiol, 2017. "Exposure to suicidal behaviors: A common suicide risk factor or a personal negative life event?," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(1), pages 70-77, February.
    2. Eleanor Bailey & Mario Alvarez-Jimenez & Jo Robinson & Simon D’Alfonso & Maja Nedeljkovic & Christopher G. Davey & Sarah Bendall & Tamsyn Gilbertson & Jessica Phillips & Lisa Bloom & Laura Nicholls & , 2020. "An Enhanced Social Networking Intervention for Young People with Active Suicidal Ideation: Safety, Feasibility and Acceptability Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Haner, Dilys & Pepler, Debra, 2017. "Adolescents show positive changes in distress and hope after single session, post-based, anonymous counselling at kids help phone," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 207-213.
    4. Li, Xiaoyu & Kawachi, Ichiro & Buxton, Orfeu M. & Haneuse, Sebastien & Onnela, Jukka-Pekka, 2019. "Social network analysis of group position, popularity, and sleep behaviors among U.S. adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 417-426.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alsalem, Amani & Fry, Marie-Louise & Thaichon, Park, 2020. "To donate or to waste it: Understanding posthumous organ donation attitude," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 87-97.
    2. Goldberg, Amir & Srivastava, Sameer B & Manian, Govind & Monroe, William & Potts, Christopher, 2016. "Fitting In or Standing Out? The Tradeoffs of Structural and Cultural Embeddedness," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series qt9bf631rg, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley.
    3. Karen Benjamin Guzzo & Sarah R. Hayford & Vanessa Wanner Lang, 2019. "Adolescent Fertility Attitudes and Childbearing in Early Adulthood," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(1), pages 125-152, February.
    4. Wong, Joy P.S. & Stewart, Sunita M. & Ho, S.Y. & Rao, Uma & Lam, T.H., 2005. "Exposure to suicide and suicidal behaviors among Hong Kong adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 591-599, August.
    5. Teo Keipi & Atte Oksanen & James Hawdon & Matti Näsi & Pekka Räsänen, 2017. "Harm-advocating online content and subjective well-being: a cross-national study of new risks faced by youth," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 634-649, May.
    6. Min-Ah Lee, 2016. "Social relationships, depressive symptoms and suicidality in Korea: Examining mediating and moderating effects in men and women," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(1), pages 67-75, February.
    7. Chloe Chang Sorensen & Mego Lien & Vicki Harrison & John J. Donoghue & Jeevanjot Singh Kapur & Song Hi Kim & Nhi Thi Tran & Shashank V. Joshi & Sita G. Patel, 2022. "The Tool for Evaluating Media Portrayals of Suicide (TEMPOS): Development and Application of a Novel Rating Scale to Reduce Suicide Contagion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-12, March.
    8. Sekhar, Deepa L. & Gebremariam, Acham & Waxmonsky, James G. & Molinari, Alissa M. & Rosen, Perri & Clark, Sarah J., 2023. "Parent opinion on peer support programs to promote adolescent mental health," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    9. Li, Xiaoyu & Kawachi, Ichiro & Buxton, Orfeu M. & Haneuse, Sebastien & Onnela, Jukka-Pekka, 2019. "Social network analysis of group position, popularity, and sleep behaviors among U.S. adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 417-426.
    10. Sigita Lesinskienė & Odeta Kinčinienė & Rokas Šambaras & Emilijus Žilinskas, 2022. "Analysis of Attempted Suicide in a Pediatric Setting: Extracted Notes for Clinical Practice and Complexity of Help," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.
    11. Brann, Kristy L. & Baker, Derek & Smith-Millman, Mills K. & Watt, Sarah J. & DiOrio, Courtney, 2021. "A meta-analysis of suicide prevention programs for school-aged youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    12. Victoria Banyard & Kimberly J. Mitchell & Michele L. Ybarra, 2021. "Exposure to Self-Directed Violence: Understanding Intention to Help and Helping Behaviors among Adolescents and Emerging Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    13. Trogdon, Justin G. & Nonnemaker, James & Pais, Joanne, 2008. "Peer effects in adolescent overweight," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1388-1399, September.
    14. Stephen L. Ross, 2009. "Social Interactions within Cities: Neighborhood Environments and Peer Relationships," Working papers 2009-31, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    15. Vincent Antonio Traag & Paul Van Dooren & Patrick De Leenheer, 2013. "Dynamical Models Explaining Social Balance and Evolution of Cooperation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-7, April.
    16. Fujimoto, Kayo & Valente, Thomas W., 2015. "Multiplex congruity: Friendship networks and perceived popularity as correlates of adolescent alcohol use," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 173-181.
    17. Amro Khasawneh & Kapil Chalil Madathil & Kevin M. Taaffe & Heidi Zinzow & Amal Ponathil & Sreenath Chalil Madathil & Siddhartha Nambiar & Gaurav Nanda & Patrick J. Rosopa, 2022. "Dynamic simulation of social media challenge participation to examine intervention strategies," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 1637-1662, November.
    18. Hall, Taylor & Chassler, Deborah & Blom, Björn & Grahn, Robert & Blom-Nilsson, Marcus & Sullivan, Lisa & Lundgren, Lena, 2015. "Mortality among a national population sentenced to compulsory care for substance use disorders in Sweden: Descriptive study," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 153-162.
    19. Carayol, Nicolas & Bergé, Laurent & Cassi, Lorenzo & Roux, Pascale, 2019. "Unintended triadic closure in social networks: The strategic formation of research collaborations between French inventors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 218-238.
    20. Lin Fu & Yue Fan & Jin Cheng & Hao Zheng & Zhengkui Liu, 2021. "Being Popular or Having Popular Friends, Which Is Better? A Longitudinal Social Network Analysis of Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Adolescents under Major Chronic Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:157:y:2016:i:c:p:31-38. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.