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How do Australian social media users experience self-harm and suicide-related content? A National cross-sectional survey comparing young people and adults
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Louise La Sala ,
Bridget Kenny ,
Charlie Cooper ,
Michelle Lamblin ,
Matthew Spittal ,
Caroline Gao ,
Marina Kunin ,
Angela Nicholas ,
Atria Rezwan,
Maddox Gifford,
Jane Pirkis ,
Ann John
BMC Public Health, Volume: 26, Issue: 1, Start page: 384
Swansea University Author:
Ann John
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© The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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DOI (Published version): 10.1186/s12889-025-25646-0
Abstract
Background: Rates 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. Metho...
| Published in: | BMC Public Health |
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| ISSN: | 1471-2458 |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2026
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71188 |
| Abstract: |
Background: Rates 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. Methods: An 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. Results: Three 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. Conclusion: There 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. |
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| Keywords: |
Social media; Suicide; Self-harm; Suicide prevention; Online safety; National survey |
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |
| Funders: |
The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) as part of an Investigator Grant awarded to JR (ID2008460). JR is also supported by a University of Melbourne Dame Kate Campbell Fellowship. MS and JP are both funded by NHMRC Investigator Grants (ID2025205; 1173126) and University of Melbourne Dame Kate Campbell Fellowships. LLS is funded by a Suicide Prevention Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship. The funder played no role in any aspect of the study. |
| Issue: |
1 |
| Start Page: |
384 |