How do Australian social media users experience self-harm and suicide-related content? A National cross-sectional survey comparing young people and adults.

backgroundRates of self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing in young people and many attribute this to social media use. However, high quality studies examining young people’s experiences of self-harm and suicide-related content on social media, and the impact on wellbeing, are lacking.

methodsAn online national cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2024. Quota sampling was used. Participants from across Australia were recruited from the Roy Morgan Single Source Panel, a panel managed by Pureprofile and via snowball sampling. Descriptive statistics were used to examine respondents’ experiences; logistic regressions examined differences between young people and adults.

resultsThree thousand five hundred forty-nine individuals (895 young people; 2,654 adults) completed the survey. Just over half had been exposed to self-harm or suicide-related content on social media. Young people were more likely to be exposed than adults (Adjusted OR 3.81; 95%CI: 3.18–4.58). For most people exposure worsened their mood and a minority reported engaging in self-harm as a result; again this was more common in young people (Adjusted OR 4.02, 95%CI: 2.42–6.86). However, many people, in particular young people, reported using social media to seek support.

conclusionThere is concern about the impact of social media on self-harm and suicide and our findings support the need for improvements to online safety. However, the fact that people use social media to access help suggests that a nuanced and evidence-based approach is required that includes the perspectives of young people and those with lived experience.