Self-Harm Content on Social Media and Proximal Risk for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Among Adolescents

Objective

Exposure to self-harm content may be an important experience on social media that confers risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs). The current study used an intensive monitoring design to examine the relation between weekly exposure to self-harm content on social media and adolescent SITBs, including suicidal ideation and nonsuicidal self-injurious (NSSI) urges and behaviors.

Method

Adolescents (N = 61; ages 14-17 years) recruited in the United States (49% girls, 62% LGBTQ+, 10% Asian, 20% Black, 16% Latine, 13% Multiracial, 41% White) completed 8 weeks of daily and weekly surveys. Daily surveys included questions about adolescents’ suicidal ideation and NSSI urges and behaviors. Weekly surveys included exposure to self-harm content on social media and perceived daily social media hours. Logistic multilevel modeling was conducted to evaluate whether exposure to self-harm content on social media was associated with weekly SITBs, controlling for social media duration and depression symptoms.

Results

Overall, 50% (n = 31) of adolescents reported seeing self-harm–related content on social media over the study period. There were significant associations between weeks of self-harm social media exposure and weekly NSSI urges and behaviors. There was no association between weekly social media self-harm exposure and suicidal ideation that week. Perceived social media use duration was not associated with SITBs.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that exposure to self-harm content on social media may be a proximal risk factor for NSSI urges and behaviors among adolescents. Findings shed light on one modifiable way in which social media may heighten risk for SITBs among adolescents, lending empirical support to current guidelines about limiting self-harm content on social media.

Plain language summary

This study examined whether exposure to self-harm content on social media impacts teens’ self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, using intensive monitoring data. There were no direct links to suicidal thoughts; however, teens who reported exposure to self-harm content were more likely to have nonsuicidal self-injury urges and behaviors that week. There was no effect of screen time. Results indicate that self-harm exposure on social media is related to self-harm in teens, highlighting the importance of asking teens about self-harm exposure and policies geared towards content versus screen time.

Diversity & Inclusion Statement

We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list.