Self-Destructive Online Content: Features of Attitude and Response of Adolescents and Youth

Abstract

The paper examines the most common types of self-destructive online behavior of adolescents and young people (self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders), which are reflected on the Internet in the form of self-destructive content. We present the results of the empirical study on the perception of and reactions to self-destructive content and content about psychological assistance by 15—17-year-old adolescents and 18—25-year-old youths. The yielded data confirms that adolescents and young people are active consumers of self-destructive online content. Based on the analysis of the role of gender, age differences, and differences in the use of the Internet in responding to the aforementioned types of self-destructive content, we marked out a risk group, represented by adolescents and young people who show increased attention to self-destructive online content, as well as those who use the Internet more intensively and are more often subjected to various types of violence in real life. We emphasize the importance of developing effective online prevention measures for self-destructive behavior in adolescents and young people, nurturing a digital culture of online behavior, and raising digital competence, allowing for the creation of a safe and comfortable online space.