Impact of Peer’s Suicide on Mental Health of Adolescents

Abstract

Objectives : This study examined the impact of peer`s suicide on mental health of middle-school students. The aim of this study was to describe the course of posttraumatic stress and grief reaction, suicide ideation, and depression score among adolescents after exposure to peer`s suicide and to examine the relationship between posttraumatic stress and other mental health scores in these subjects. Methods : Thirty seven middle school students who were exposed to the suicidal death of a peer completed self-report measures to assess levels of depression, grief reaction, post-traumatic stress, and suicide ideation at 1 month and 8 months after the peer`s suicide. Results : There was no significant change in mental health scores between 1 month and 8 months. Level of posttraumatic stress after 8 months was related to acute grief response. Subjects who experienced a clinically significant level of suicidal ideation and posttraumatic stress showed more mental health problems. Conclusion : The results suggested that peer`s suicide strongly impacted mental health issues of adolescents at a critical time of adolescent development. Clinicians should perform a thorough evaluation of mental health problems for youth who experienced peer`s suicide and help them in management of their grief reaction.