Voicing Jordanian Adolescents' Suicide.
Latefa Ali Dardas, Malena M Price, Joyell Arscott and 2 others
PMID 32991529WHAT IT FOUND
Jordanian adolescents with mild to moderate depression said stigma, family pressure, and isolation kept them silent about suicidal thoughts.
Passive death wishes were mentioned 21 times, and boys described the Blue Whale game as a suicide guide.
Key findings
01Adolescents described shame, stigma, and fear of being called mentally ill as reasons they preferred isolation to confiding.
02Seventeen participants reported deliberate self-harm, and passive death wishes were mentioned 21 times.
0327 boys with suicidal ideations reported using the Blue Whale game to learn how to complete suicide; 15 learned about it from peers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used focus groups, so participants may not have fully disclosed suicidal thoughts because of stigma and shame; the authors say findings may underestimate true emotional states. Participants were Jordanian school adolescents with mild to moderate depressive symptoms, not a general adolescent population; only 2% reported a psychiatric diagnosis. Themes describe perceptions and reported experiences; they do not test outcomes or show that interventions work. Gender-separated schools and separate male and female groups may limit comparison between genders, and the Blue Whale finding was reported only by boys. Data were from 12 focus groups in selected public schools in Jordan, so findings may not transfer to other settings.
Declared interests
The paper is marked as having non-U.S. government research support; no funding source or author conflict statement is provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Blue Whale caused suicide or that religion, family support, and goals prevent suicide. This study reports adolescents' perceptions and coded themes; it did not test outcomes.