The Relation Between the Teen Suicide and Bullying

Suicide has been identified as one of the primary sources of death in the adolescent population. The CDC (2019) reports it as the second leading cause among children aged between 10 and 14 years old. While the causes of suicide vary on a case-by-case basis, evidence from Wang (2016) and Coon, Mitterer, & Martini (2020) shows that it is the combination of social hostility and emotional turbulence that leads to suicide. Notably, during teenage years, individuals struggle to get their identity, which leads to extreme pressure on them regarding social expectations, while bullying and harassment represent cases of social animosity that make suicide an option.

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Drawing from the three theories, there are many reasons why adolescents may turn to suicide. In Kohlberg’s view, a child is significantly influenced by external pressures and expectations, with too much pressure possibly making them consider suicide. Drawing from Gillian, justice-based morality can mean that adolescents view the world as being composed of autonomous individuals, and experiencing injustice can be traumatic and highly upsetting, which may result in suicide. In Erikson’s model, adolescents experience the challenges of the fifth stage of development, identity v. role confusion. Social relationships and the sense of belonging are vital at this stage, and if they are absent, an adolescent may feel lost in their identity and find suicide an option.

To help a teen that has been bullied, it is necessary to determine the environment, the type of bullying, and the coping mechanisms available to the person. A teen likely experiences the challenges of role confusion and identity (Erikson’s model), which is why it is imperative to help adolescents strengthen their identity to withstand bullying. A solid identity will form crucial and meaningful values that will motivate a person to improve their sense of self and disregard the opinions of others. Thus, a way to help with bullying entails developing emotionally strong and confident individuals.

References

CDC. (2019). 10 leading causes of death, United States. Web.

Coon, D., Mitterer, J., & Martini, T. (2022). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (16th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Wang, Y. (2016). After years of alleged bullying, an Ohio teen killed herself. Is her school district responsible? The Washington Post. Web.