Documented Life Stressors Among Youth Ages 10 to 17 Who Died by Suicide in the United States, 2020–2021, by COVID-19 Impact
| Life Stressor . | COVID-19–Impacted, N = 144, N (%) . | No Documented COVID-19 Impact, N = 408, N (%) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomic stressors | |||
| Poverty | 14 (10) | 12 (3) | <.00 |
| Poverty not specified | 130 (90) | 396 (97) | |
| Housing instability | 9 (6) | 17 (4) | .31 |
| Housing instability not specified | 135 (94) | 391 (96) | |
| Witnessed violence | 20 (13) | 14 (3) | <.00 |
| Witnessed violence not specified | 124 (86) | 394 (97) | |
| Relationship stressors | |||
| Family discord | 45 (31) | 97 (24) | .08 |
| Family discord not specified | 99 (69) | 311 (76) | |
| Argument with parents | 47 (33) | 106 (26) | .13 |
| Argument with parents not specified | 97 (67) | 302 (74) | |
| Parent’s divorce | 28 (19) | 53 (13) | .06 |
| Parent’s divorce not specified | 116 (81) | 355 (87) | |
| Parent incarcerated | 7 (5) | 12 (3) | .28 |
| Parent incarcerated not specified | 137 (95) | 396 (97) | |
| Argument with significant other | 10 (7) | 23 (6) | .57 |
| Argument with significant other not specified | 134 (93) | 385 (94) | |
| Breakup with significant other | 22 (15) | 51 (13) | .40 |
| Breakup with significant other not specified | 122 (85) | 357 (87) | |
| Social discord | 20 (14) | 29 (7) | .01 |
| Social discord not specified | 124 (86) | 379 (93) | |
| Bullying victim | 14 (10) | 53 (13) | .30 |
| Bullying victim not specified | 130 (90) | 355 (87) | |
| Cyberbullying victim | 6 (4) | 12 (3) | .48 |
| Cyberbullying victim not specified | 138 (96) | 396 (97) | |
| Isolation | 86 (60) | 58 (14) | <.00 |
| Isolation not specified | 58 (40) | 350 (86) | |
| Gender identity | 6 (4) | 10 (3) | .29 |
| Gender identity not specified | 138 (96) | 398 (97) | |
| School stressors | |||
| School failure | 33 (23) | 48 (12) | <.00 |
| School failure not specified | 111 (77) | 360 (88) | |
| Pressure to succeed | 23 (16) | 24 (6) | <.00 |
| Pressure to succeed not specified | 121 (84) | 384 (94) | |
| Extracurricular activities | 7 (5) | 7 (2) | .04 |
| Extracurricular activities not specified | 137 (95) | 401 (98) | |
| New school | 13 (9) | 21 (5) | .10 |
| New school not specified | 131 (91) | 387 (95) | |
| Other school problems | 60 (42) | 76 (19) | <.00 |
| Other school problems not specified | 84 (58) | 332 (81) | |
| Technology stressors | |||
| Electronic gaming | 8 (6) | 14 (3) | .26 |
| Electronic gaming not specified | 136 (94) | 394 (97) | |
| Restriction of technology | 19 (13) | 21 (5) | <.00 |
| Restriction of technology not specified | 125 (87) | 387 (95) | |
| Social media | 16 (11) | 28 (7) | .11 |
| Social media not specified | 128 (89) | 380 (93) | |
| Transition stressors | |||
| Release from hospital | 6 (4) | 10 (3) | .30 |
| Release from hospital not specified | 138 (96) | 398 (97) | |
| Mental health level of care | 10 (7) | 21 (5) | .42 |
| Mental health level of care not specified | 134 (93) | 387 (95) | |
| End-of-school y/break | 22 (15) | 18 (4) | ≤.00 |
| End-of-school y not specified | 122 (85) | 390 (96) | |
| Trauma stressors | |||
| Rape/sexual assault | 9 (6) | 21 (5) | .62 |
| Rape/sexual assault not specified | 135 (94) | 387 (95) | |
| Previous abuse | 18 (13) | 36 (9) | .20 |
| Previous abuse not specified | 126 (87) | 372 (91) | |
| Family/domestic violence | 19 (13) | 24 (6) | <.01 |
| Family/domestic violence not specified | 125 (87) | 384 (94) | |
| Number of trauma stressor per child | |||
| Socioeconomic stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 75 (66) | 277 (86) | |
| 1 | 25 (22) | 33 (10) | |
| 2 | 6 (5) | 9 (3) | |
| 3 | — | — | |
| 4 | — | — | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.56 (0.97) | 0.21 (0.58) | |
| Relationship stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 12 (9) | 89 (25) | |
| 1 | 41 (30) | 113 (32) | |
| 2 | 32 (24) | 72 (21) | |
| 3 | 23 (17) | 32 (9) | |
| 4 | 14 (10) | 28 (8) | |
| 5+ | 14 (10) | 16 (5) | |
| Mean (SD) | 2.28 (1.64) | 1.59 (1.51) | |
| School stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 33 (25) | 187 (57) | |
| 1 | 67 (52) | 109 (33) | |
| 2 | 22 (17) | 29 (9) | |
| 3+ | 8 (6) | — | |
| Mean (SD) | 1.05 (0.84) | 0.54 (0.69) | |
| Technology stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 69 (65) | 265 (83) | |
| 1 | 28 (26) | 39 (12) | |
| 2+ | 9 (9) | 15 (5) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.43 (0.64) | 0.23 (0.4) | |
| Transition stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 77 (69) | 273 (86) | |
| 1 | 30 (27) | 36 (11) | |
| 2+ | — | 10 (3) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.38 (0.6) | 0.18 (0.49) | |
| Trauma stressors | .04 | ||
| 0 | 75 (71) | 251 (80) | |
| 1 | 15 (14) | 43 (14) | |
| 2+ | 15 (14) | 18 (6) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.44 (0.76) | 0.26 (0.59) |
| Life Stressor . | COVID-19–Impacted, N = 144, N (%) . | No Documented COVID-19 Impact, N = 408, N (%) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomic stressors | |||
| Poverty | 14 (10) | 12 (3) | <.00 |
| Poverty not specified | 130 (90) | 396 (97) | |
| Housing instability | 9 (6) | 17 (4) | .31 |
| Housing instability not specified | 135 (94) | 391 (96) | |
| Witnessed violence | 20 (13) | 14 (3) | <.00 |
| Witnessed violence not specified | 124 (86) | 394 (97) | |
| Relationship stressors | |||
| Family discord | 45 (31) | 97 (24) | .08 |
| Family discord not specified | 99 (69) | 311 (76) | |
| Argument with parents | 47 (33) | 106 (26) | .13 |
| Argument with parents not specified | 97 (67) | 302 (74) | |
| Parent’s divorce | 28 (19) | 53 (13) | .06 |
| Parent’s divorce not specified | 116 (81) | 355 (87) | |
| Parent incarcerated | 7 (5) | 12 (3) | .28 |
| Parent incarcerated not specified | 137 (95) | 396 (97) | |
| Argument with significant other | 10 (7) | 23 (6) | .57 |
| Argument with significant other not specified | 134 (93) | 385 (94) | |
| Breakup with significant other | 22 (15) | 51 (13) | .40 |
| Breakup with significant other not specified | 122 (85) | 357 (87) | |
| Social discord | 20 (14) | 29 (7) | .01 |
| Social discord not specified | 124 (86) | 379 (93) | |
| Bullying victim | 14 (10) | 53 (13) | .30 |
| Bullying victim not specified | 130 (90) | 355 (87) | |
| Cyberbullying victim | 6 (4) | 12 (3) | .48 |
| Cyberbullying victim not specified | 138 (96) | 396 (97) | |
| Isolation | 86 (60) | 58 (14) | <.00 |
| Isolation not specified | 58 (40) | 350 (86) | |
| Gender identity | 6 (4) | 10 (3) | .29 |
| Gender identity not specified | 138 (96) | 398 (97) | |
| School stressors | |||
| School failure | 33 (23) | 48 (12) | <.00 |
| School failure not specified | 111 (77) | 360 (88) | |
| Pressure to succeed | 23 (16) | 24 (6) | <.00 |
| Pressure to succeed not specified | 121 (84) | 384 (94) | |
| Extracurricular activities | 7 (5) | 7 (2) | .04 |
| Extracurricular activities not specified | 137 (95) | 401 (98) | |
| New school | 13 (9) | 21 (5) | .10 |
| New school not specified | 131 (91) | 387 (95) | |
| Other school problems | 60 (42) | 76 (19) | <.00 |
| Other school problems not specified | 84 (58) | 332 (81) | |
| Technology stressors | |||
| Electronic gaming | 8 (6) | 14 (3) | .26 |
| Electronic gaming not specified | 136 (94) | 394 (97) | |
| Restriction of technology | 19 (13) | 21 (5) | <.00 |
| Restriction of technology not specified | 125 (87) | 387 (95) | |
| Social media | 16 (11) | 28 (7) | .11 |
| Social media not specified | 128 (89) | 380 (93) | |
| Transition stressors | |||
| Release from hospital | 6 (4) | 10 (3) | .30 |
| Release from hospital not specified | 138 (96) | 398 (97) | |
| Mental health level of care | 10 (7) | 21 (5) | .42 |
| Mental health level of care not specified | 134 (93) | 387 (95) | |
| End-of-school y/break | 22 (15) | 18 (4) | ≤.00 |
| End-of-school y not specified | 122 (85) | 390 (96) | |
| Trauma stressors | |||
| Rape/sexual assault | 9 (6) | 21 (5) | .62 |
| Rape/sexual assault not specified | 135 (94) | 387 (95) | |
| Previous abuse | 18 (13) | 36 (9) | .20 |
| Previous abuse not specified | 126 (87) | 372 (91) | |
| Family/domestic violence | 19 (13) | 24 (6) | <.01 |
| Family/domestic violence not specified | 125 (87) | 384 (94) | |
| Number of trauma stressor per child | |||
| Socioeconomic stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 75 (66) | 277 (86) | |
| 1 | 25 (22) | 33 (10) | |
| 2 | 6 (5) | 9 (3) | |
| 3 | — | — | |
| 4 | — | — | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.56 (0.97) | 0.21 (0.58) | |
| Relationship stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 12 (9) | 89 (25) | |
| 1 | 41 (30) | 113 (32) | |
| 2 | 32 (24) | 72 (21) | |
| 3 | 23 (17) | 32 (9) | |
| 4 | 14 (10) | 28 (8) | |
| 5+ | 14 (10) | 16 (5) | |
| Mean (SD) | 2.28 (1.64) | 1.59 (1.51) | |
| School stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 33 (25) | 187 (57) | |
| 1 | 67 (52) | 109 (33) | |
| 2 | 22 (17) | 29 (9) | |
| 3+ | 8 (6) | — | |
| Mean (SD) | 1.05 (0.84) | 0.54 (0.69) | |
| Technology stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 69 (65) | 265 (83) | |
| 1 | 28 (26) | 39 (12) | |
| 2+ | 9 (9) | 15 (5) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.43 (0.64) | 0.23 (0.4) | |
| Transition stressors | <.00 | ||
| 0 | 77 (69) | 273 (86) | |
| 1 | 30 (27) | 36 (11) | |
| 2+ | — | 10 (3) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.38 (0.6) | 0.18 (0.49) | |
| Trauma stressors | .04 | ||
| 0 | 75 (71) | 251 (80) | |
| 1 | 15 (14) | 43 (14) | |
| 2+ | 15 (14) | 18 (6) | |
| Mean (SD) | 0.44 (0.76) | 0.26 (0.59) |
—, frequency suppressed due to small cell size.