Youths’ attitudes toward open discussion of suicide, preferred contexts, and the impact of Internet use: An exploratory sequential mixed-methods study in Hong Kong

Background: Although the necessity and benefits of having the open and public discussion about suicide have been recognized, youths’ opinions regarding such discussion remain unknown. Aims: To explore youths’ attitudes toward open suicide discussion, particularly concerning their preference of discussion contexts and impacts of Internet use. Method: This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study targeted Hong Kong youths aged 15 to 19. A total of six focus groups and 12 individual interviews were held (N = 40). Topics included adolescents’ views of open suicide discussion, concerns, perceived benefits, and preferred contexts. The questionnaire survey (N = 1,676) was conducted subsequently to investigate the prevalence of youths’ perspectives on public discussion of suicide and relationships with discussion contexts, use of social media platforms, and motivations of online expression. Results: Qualitative findings revealed three types of attitudes toward open suicide discussion: reluctance, support, and indifference. Major barriers included cultural norms, topic sensitivity, privacy concerns, contagion effect, fear of embarrassment, and unpleasant experiences in school programs. Results of quantitative analyses showed that reluctance was the dominant attitude among adolescents, and taboo was the top concern. Variations in youths’ attitudes were related to gender, school academic banding, and suicide-related experiences. Notably, adolescents who had been exposed to suicide messages in contexts of peer networks and online platforms were more likely to endorse open suicide discussion. In addition, an increased likelihood of engaging in public suicide discussion was associated with the use of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat, and the motive of ‘expressing emotions and opinions’ online. Conclusions: Our results indicated a prevalent rejection among adolescents toward open suicide discussion, suggesting the issue of stigma, the need for tailored programs, the value of appropriate contexts, and the impact of Internet use. These findings may facilitate the development of school-based suicide prevention initiatives and the efficacy of online services for suicide-related communication.