Social contagion, violence, and suicide among adolescents

Abstract

Purpose of reviewSocial Contagion is defined as the spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another. Adolescents are prone to social contagion because they may be especially susceptible to peer influence and social media.In this article, we provide a brief review of the most recent findings on social contagion, violence, and suicide among adolescents.Recent findingsRecent evidence support social contagion in gun violence, bullying, cyberbullying, violent offending, and suicide, but is inconclusive on the role of violent video game exposure on aggressive behavior.SummaryThe mechanisms underlying the contagion effect of violence and suicide are currently unclear. It has been argued that social learning, identification with significant others, and the normalization of specific norms play a role. All these mechanisms require understanding social contagion as a complex interaction between individual, relational and social factors. This is key if the social contagion perspective is to be used not only to investigate negative outcomes, but also as a framework for promoting prosocial attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, more research is needed on psychosocial interventions and public policies to minimize the potential spillover effect of violence and suicide.

Social Contagion, from Suicide to Online Challenges to Eating Disorders: Current Research and Harm Mitigation Strategies for Youth Online

“…Social contagion is a phenomenon defined as "the spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another" (Martínez, Jiménez-Molina, and Gerber 2023). Some have attributed the spread of various harmful behaviors and attitudes to social contagion, such as violent tendencies, risk-taking behaviors, suicidality, and eating disorders (Martínez, Jiménez-Molina, and Gerber 2023;Abraham et al 2022;Hilton 2018). Research surrounding the phenomena of social and behavioral contagion has been well established, rooted specifically in observed clusters of suicidality (Guidry et al 2021).…”

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health

“…Adolescents find themselves increasingly drawn to their devices, seeking validation and affirmation through the digital realm. A study by Kuss and Griffiths [7] suggests that addictive social media use is linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness among adolescents [7] meanwhile [8] carried a study on this similar topic and found out that evidence supports social contagion in gun violence, bullying, cyberbullying, violent offending, and suicide. They therefore argued that social learning, identification with significant others, and the normalization of specific norms play a role.…”

Simulation Models for Suicide Prevention: A Survey of the State-of-the-Art

“…Another prominent example of network analysis in suicide research is the detection of suicide clusters from temporal social networks. As emphasized by recent research, "mechanisms underlying the contagion effect of suicidal thoughts and behavior are currently unclear" [72]. In contrast, network simulations create computer-generated data based on explicit mechanisms.…”