The changes of suicidal ideation status among young people in Hong Kong during COVID-19: A longitudinal survey

Abstract

Background: Pandemics affect the physical and mental well-being of all potentially at-risk individuals. The secondary consequences of measures to prevent the outbreak (i.e., school closures) have extensive impact on young people globally. This longitudinal study examines changes of suicidal ideation status among adolescents during COVID-19.Method: A follow-up after nine-months of a school-based survey among 1,491 secondary students was conducted during COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Psychological well-being, psychological factors, family support, and COVID-19-related experiences were examined.Findings: The prevalence of suicidal ideation were 24% and 21% among the participants before and during COVID-19, respectively. In particular, 897 (65.0%) remained non-suicidal, 193 (14.0%) recovered from being suicidal, 148 (10.7%) newly reported being suicidal, and 143 (10.4%) remained suicidal. Respondents who remained suicidal were found to have significantly higher depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and social anxiety; fixed mindset; lower meaning of life and self-control; and lower parental support and supervision than the other groups. Participants with suicidal ideation reported more negative perceptions about the pandemic than non-suicidal participants. Logistic regression showed that participants with higher trait anxiety and higher stress from self-expectations in the baseline survey predicted higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation than the non-suicidal students at follow-up.Conclusion: Poor psychological well-being, lower level of family support, and negative impacts of the pandemic were consistently associated with students’ presence of suicidal ideation during the pandemic. Further intervention studies are needed to examine the effects of the mental health consequences of COVID-19 on youth mental health and to promote positive youth well-being.