Suizidalität bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen: Die Nutzung von Gesprächsforen im Internet

Several studies have shown effects of media reports on suicidality of young people. The role of the internet as a new, interactive medium in this context is still unknown. So-called suicide forums have attracted interest of the media as well as among experts. These forums are judged controversially: On the one hand, there is the risk of young people reading about suicide methods and imitating suicidal behavior. On the other hand, there might be positive effects (e.g. mutual social support among the members of a suicide forum; the chance to talk openly). The present study aimed at identifying both the positive and negative effects of participating in a suicide forum from the users´ perspective by (a) presenting an online-questionnaire to the users, (b) a content-analysis of written material from suicide forums. An important result of the online survey is the users´ view of the suicide forums as suicide-protective rather than suicide-inducing. Users gain much social support from their forum. Social strain is hardly reported. Social support and suggestive effects of the forum, social support from family and from real-life-friends and users´ depression predicted users´ suicidality in a regression analysis. Social support from real-life-friends increased suicidality instead of reducing it. Effects of forums without communicative exchange about suicide methods can be rated as more positive than effects of forums in which these issues are discussed. The effects of suicide forums are similar to other self-help forums in the internet. Many users of suicide forums are interested in professional help sites in the internet and express desires for special designs of such facilities. Findings from the content analysis support the reported results from the online survey. Results are discussed regarding their validity and their relevance for practical application.