Suicide in adolescents: Mental health problems and social support

Suicide in adolescents is a health problem that is of urgent concern given the number of suicides, which is increasing at an alarming rate. An adolescent’s decision to commit suicide is influenced by various risk factors, which this research was conducted to explore. This research is a descriptive qualitative research. Data were collected from 16 participants (14–18 years) using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis. This study produced two main themes, the first being individual factors, which consists of five categories: maladaptive coping, negative life experiences, unwillingness to seek help, family history of suicide and history of previous suicide attemped. The second theme is a social factor that consists of three categories: non-supportive families, no peer support, and peer violence experiences. This study identifies two themes that comprise the risk factors for suicide in adolescents. The results of this study indicate that the risk of suicide must receive serious attention and the development of suicide prevention programs must pay attention to these risk factors.