Research shows bullied youth have higher suicide attempt risk, warns University of Turku expert

Research conducted by Yuko Mori at the University of Turku reveals that bullied youth have a significantly higher risk of suicide attempts. The study, which is part of Mori’s doctoral research in child psychiatry, involved a comprehensive international school survey indicating that about five percent of young people have attempted suicide. The findings underscore that students who have been victims of bullying, particularly both online and traditional bullying, are at the highest risk of suicide attempts.

Mori emphasizes that the prevalence of suicide attempts was found to be 4.8 percent, with a higher incidence among girls. The highest risk of attempting suicide was reported among students who experienced both types of bullying. The survey also indicates that safety perceptions vary widely across countries. Approximately one-third of the respondents felt unsafe at school, with significant contrasts observed between nations. In Finland, for example, only 11.5 percent of girls reported feeling unsafe at school, compared to a staggering 69.8 percent in Japan.

Mori explains that factors such as bullying, mental health issues, and lack of support from teachers significantly impact how secure young people feel in their environments. The survey included responses from over 21,000 youths aged 13 to 15 from several countries, including Finland, China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

This research forms part of the Eurasian Child Mental Health Study coordinated by the University of Turku’s Center for Child Psychiatry, which examines youth well-being and mental health across different countries. Mori’s dissertation will be defended on August 30.