Social bonds, recognition linked to reduced suicidal thoughts in teens
Actions taken by parents, schools and neighbors can reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior among Pennsylvania teens, according to a new study by Penn State researchers
Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Nearly one in five teenagers has suicidal thoughts, and suicide is the second most common cause of death for that age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social bonds and social recognition, however, could reduce the risk of adolescent suicide, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development.
Suicide and suicidality are complex. To determine how young people’s interactions with others connected to higher or lower suicidal thoughts, actions or risk factors, the researchers examined data from nearly 200,000 Pennsylvania teenagers.
Overall, the team found that personal connections and public recognition for achievements at the family, school and community levels were related to reduced suicide risk, either directly or through lower levels of depression, substance use or bullying. They also found that rural students face greater risk than urban students. Published online in Journal of Adolescent Health, study results indicate how parents, schools and neighbors can help reduce suicide risk in their families and communities.
“We found that strong social bonds help decrease teen suicide risk in every circumstance,” said Xue Zhang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health and lead author of the study. “While there is no single solution to preventing adolescent suicide, strengthening social bonds is a strategy that can benefit all young people.”
The researchers analyzed data from 190,151 students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 who participated in the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), a long-running survey of behavior and attitudes related to violence and the use of intoxicating or addictive substances. PAYS includes questions about substance use, depression and experiences of being bullied, factors shown to increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Students also answer questions about several factors that are known to reduce suicide risk, including their relationship with parents or caregivers, their engagement in and perceived value of school and how much they want to leave their community.
“At the highest level, these results are clear: strong relationships are key protective factors in youth suicide prevention,” said Jonathan Wright, assistant research professor in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and co-author of the study. “And when you dig into the data a little deeper, there are nuanced results that might help parents, towns and school districts keep their children safe.”
Teenagers who reported a stronger attachment to their immediate family demonstrated the greatest reduction in suicide risk. In the survey, study participants indicated whether they felt low, moderate or high attachment to their families. Those who reported one higher level of attachment — from low to moderate or from moderate to high — had one-third less suicide risk than peers.
“This is great news because it means there is something families can do,” said Zhang, a Penn State Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member. “Building a closer relationship with a teenager may not always feel easy, but it is possible. Research has identified many ways that parents can connect with their adolescent children. Listening to teens without judgment, taking an interest in topics that matter to them, and doing fun things together are great places for parents to start.”
Other results indicated that engagement in school decreased not only suicide risk but also depression, substance misuse and bully victimization, which are independent risks for suicide.
“This study and other research have shown that after-school programs are extremely valuable to both a child’s education and their mental health,” Wright said. “These programs help adolescents get involved and interact more with other youth, faculty and staff. This builds a sense of belonging and commitment, which reduces suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
At the community level, recognition of accomplishments — like newspaper stories about academic achievements or sports successes — can increase both teens’ familial bonds and their commitment to school, bolstering the effects of those protective factors.
“Preventing adolescent suicide is a shared responsibility, and adults at home, in schools, and across communities all have an important role to play,” Zhang said.
The researchers identified one risk factor that cannot easily be modified — rurality. In the study, teens in rural counties were 7% more likely than their urban counterparts to have a plan for or to attempt suicide. Though the researchers said this was troubling, they noted that rural communities also had higher levels of community recognition for teens, which is protective.
“Rural communities face unique challenges, in part because there are fewer opportunities to participate in programs that engage — and therefore protect — adolescents,” Wright said. “The suicide risks faced by rural teens differ in small but important ways from the risks faced by urban teens. Schools and communities in any location should be acutely aware of what opportunities and programs youth can access and what may be missing from their teens’ lives.”
To illustrate risk, Wright used the metaphor of a stream, which carries a risk of drowning, flowing through the middle of a town. Even though the stream cannot be removed, people’s risk of drowning can be changed. The community could erect fences where people often fall in, and they could identify the best places along the river to pull people out before they drown.
“We can erect upstream protective ‘fences’ that keep people from falling into the river of suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” Wright said. “This study identified social connections and forms of recognition that could serve as fences to make youth safer. Other programs — like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and local community-based programs — are designed to pull people out of that river. Together, we can help adolescents thrive and grow into a safe, healthy future.”
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Health
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
A Socioecological Approach to Adolescent Suicide Risk: The Roles of Social Bonds and Recognition
Article Publication Date
4-Aug-2026
State contract helps UNC team expand mental health trainings
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) contract will help the UNC School of Social Work expand access to suicide prevention training to colleges and universities across the state.
Alicia Freeman, UNC Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) campus-based program manager, and Paul Lanier, the school’s L. Richardson Preyer Distinguished Chair for Strengthening Families, will lead the project, “Building Capacity and Expanding Access to Suicide Prevention Training for NC Colleges and Universities.”
The project was awarded $464,290 and begins this July, running through June 2027.
The project aims to deliver MHFA trainings to North Carolina colleges and universities and NCDHHS employees.
“College is such a pivotal transition and peak time of development for students ages 18–25,” Freeman said. “We’ve seen an amazing culture shift at UNC over the past four years through the work of our MHFA program. Increasing mental health literacy has reduced stigma and increased help-seeking, so I am excited to be able to reach more students pursuing higher education and impact campuses across North Carolina.”
Developed in 2001 by Betty Kitchener and Anthony Jorm in Australia, Mental Health First Aid teaches individuals how to support people experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. The program has trained more than 4.5 million people in the United States. More than 30 states — including North Carolina — have enacted policies and funding to prioritize MHFA.
The research- and evidence-based program trains people in how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use issues, helping them to start conversations until professional care is available. The training covers common signs of mental health and substance use challenges, how to interact with a person in crisis, and how to connect a person with support resources.
Project goals
During the next year, the project will provide at least 50 MHFA training sessions for North Carolina colleges and universities, with the goal of reaching at least 15 institutions, training 600 participants and at least 20 new MHFA instructors.
The training will also be offered to NCDHHS employees. The team hopes to host five NCDHHS-specific trainings while reaching at least 100 participants.
The team will collaborate with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on campuses throughout the state to market and promote training opportunities. NAMI leaders will engage students on campus with building capacity to support mental health across UNC system schools and state community college campuses.
UNC as mental health leader
The UNC School of Social Work has served as a partner and program site for MHFA with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing since 2015.
The UNC MHFA campus-based program has provided 223 trainings, reaching more than 3,418 individuals since the summer of 2022. Last year, the team developed a follow-up survey with MHFA trainees — the first of its kind on a university campus — and found that 98% of respondents would recommend the training to others.
“We now have solid evidence that people who have taken this training at UNC are quickly putting the skills to work on campus,” Lanier said. “As we expand training, the likelihood that someone experiencing a crisis will interact with someone trained in MHFA increases substantially‚ and that has the potential to save lives.”
The program will serve faculty, staff and students on campus, as well as youth and adults across all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Impact potential
The project aligns with several state priorities and programs, including the state’s Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services strategic plan. By increasing access to care and building the workforce through training new instructors, the project will strengthen the state’s crisis services system.
“We are excited about this partnership,” said Kelly Crosbie, assistant secretary for NCDHHS’ Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services. “The program will strengthen our statewide crisis response system by bringing proven Mental Health First Aid training to those who can reach young adults in crisis.
“Expanding this work across campuses and our workforce is the right thing to do. It will bring needed support to young adults, including Black youth who too often face limited access to culturally sensitive mental health care. It also advances our priorities of early identification and effective intervention to help build a stronger mental health system in North Carolina.”
The project will also support strategic initiatives that are part of the 2026-30 North Carolina Suicide Prevention Action Plan. This includes leading suicide prevention work, providing community helper training, and providing mental health training and education for college and university-age populations, among others.
Freeman and Lanier added that the project will support objectives included in the state’s Black Youth Suicide Prevention Action Plan, specifically with young adults ages 18-24.
Freeman was previously recognized for her work with MHFA with the 2026 Mental Health First Aid Coordinator of the Year award from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
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