The relationship of bystander intervention variables to adolescents' responses to suicidal peers

Abstract

This study sought to understand factors that might enhance suicide prevention programs by investigating the responses of adolescents to potentially suicidal peers in analogue situations embodying variables from the social psychological research on bystander intervention. 314 high school students were randomly assigned one of four vignettes about a troubled peer under conditions of high or low diffusion of responsibility (respondent was alone or one of a group) and high or low ambiguity (confronted by a troubled peer or heard an essay written by a peer). Students' statements concerning the likelihood of suicide and their level of concern in the situation provided evidence for the internal validity of the vignettes. Results included significant main effects of ambiguity (more likely to tell an adult than simply talk to the peer in low vs high ambiguous conditions) for males and females, and of diffusion (more likely to ignore or do nothing than talk or tell in high vs low diffuse situations) for males. Students' estimates of how other students would respond corresponded with findings from social comparison research and suggested the operation of an erroneously perceived social norm of no response to a troubled peer by those who indicated that they would ignore the peer. The results have implications for the application of social psychological models to social influence-based prevention efforts to enhance adolescents' roles in the prevention of youth suicidal behavior.