BACKGROUND: The Internet is used by young people at risk of self-harm to communicate, find information, and obtain support. AIMS: We aimed to identify and analyze websites potentially accessed by these young people. METHOD: Six search terms, relating to self-harm/suicide and depression, were input into four search engines. Websites were analyzed for access, content/purpose, and tone. RESULTS: In all, 314 websites were included in the analysis. Most could be accessed without restriction. Sites accessed by self-harm/suicide search terms were mostly positive or preventive in tone, whereas sites accessed by the term ways to kill yourself tended to have a negative tone. Information about self-harm methods was common with specific advice on how to self-harm in 15.8% of sites, encouragement of self-harm in 7.0%, and evocative images of self-harm/suicide in 20.7%. Advice on how to get help was given in 56.1% of sites. CONCLUSION: Websites relating to suicide or self-harm are easily accessed. Many sites are potentially helpful. However, a significant proportion of sites are potentially harmful through normalizing or encouraging self-harm. Enquiry regarding Internet use should be routinely included while assessing young people at risk.
BACKGROUND: The Internet is used by young people at risk of self-harm to communicate, find information, and obtain support. AIMS: We aimed to identify and analyze websites potentially accessed by these young people. METHOD: Six search terms, relating to self-harm/suicide and depression, were input into four search engines. Websites were analyzed for access, content/purpose, and tone. RESULTS: In all, 314 websites were included in the analysis. Most could be accessed without restriction. Sites accessed by self-harm/suicide search terms were mostly positive or preventive in tone, whereas sites accessed by the term ways to kill yourself tended to have a negative tone. Information about self-harm methods was common with specific advice on how to self-harm in 15.8% of sites, encouragement of self-harm in 7.0%, and evocative images of self-harm/suicide in 20.7%. Advice on how to get help was given in 56.1% of sites. CONCLUSION: Websites relating to suicide or self-harm are easily accessed. Many sites are potentially helpful. However, a significant proportion of sites are potentially harmful through normalizing or encouraging self-harm. Enquiry regarding Internet use should be routinely included while assessing young people at risk.
Authors: Jason I Chen; Ginnifer L Mastarone; Santisia A Ambrosino; Nicole Anzalone; Kathleen F Carlson; Steven K Dobscha; Alan R Teo Journal: Crisis Date: 2019-04-02
Authors: Wen Chen; Andrea Boggero; Giovanni Del Puente; Martina Olcese; Davide Prestia; Haitham Jahrami; Nasr Chalghaf; Noomen Guelmami; Fairouz Azaiez; Nicola Luigi Bragazzi Journal: JMIR Form Res Date: 2021-11-11
Authors: Amanda Marchant; Keith Hawton; Ann Stewart; Paul Montgomery; Vinod Singaravelu; Keith Lloyd; Nicola Purdy; Kate Daine; Ann John Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-08-16 Impact factor: 3.752