Suicide Contagion Among Adolescents During Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization

This study examined whether exposure to other suicidal adolescents led to contagion among 57 adolescent psychiatric inpatients, & whether some adolescents express more suicidality after hospitalization. Despite many patients’ severe suicide risk at admission, 94% expressed no active suicidal intent & engaged in no suicidal behaviour while hospitalized. 26% expressed a significant increase in suicide ideation. This was not associated with study measures of exposure to other suicidal adolescents.