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Revista de la Asociación Española de Neuropsiquiatría

versión On-line ISSN 2340-2733versión impresa ISSN 0211-5735

Resumen

PARICIO-DEL CASTILLO, Rocío et al. Child and adolescent suicide following the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of a tragic phenomenon. Rev. Asoc. Esp. Neuropsiq. [online]. 2024, vol.44, n.145, pp.19-45.  Epub 02-Ago-2024. ISSN 2340-2733.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/s0211-57352024000100002.

Introduction:

Following the irruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of suicidal behaviors and completed suicides among Spanish youth (children and adolescents) has increased.

Methods:

This phenomenon, and the possible factors involved, are analyzed in a narrative way.

Results:

There is strong evidence of an increase in completed suicides and visits to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Emergency Department due to suicidal behaviors from July 2020, happening in a similar manner with a widespread geographic extent. National suicide rates regarding the population under the age of 14 have doubled over the previous year (2019), without gender differences, observing as well an acute increase in suicidal behaviors in adolescent females.

Discussion:

We emphasize the correlation between the increase in child and adolescent suicide with social factors (such as socio-economic, family and interpersonal situations), which have deteriorated due to the pandemic. Although child and adolescent suicide are often considered together, they seem to respond to different phenomena. The relationship between child and adolescent suicide and Social Media (SM) is complex. The use of SM increased during the pandemic as a coping mechanism to reduce the feeling of loneliness associated to social distancing; yet different studies associate it with a higher incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms. Depending on how SM show information about suicidal behaviors, they could act as a risk or protective factor.

Conclusion:

The situation that has resulted from the pandemic makes it necessary for us to reflect on the fragility of our minors and their attachment styles, and to address the problematic from a health and social perspective.

Palabras clave : suicide; adolescent; child psychiatry; pediatric emergency medicine; COVID-19; social media.

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