Abstract
Child suicide is a critical public health issue in Spain. From 2020 to 2021, the child suicide rate rose by approximately 57%, with 22 children aged 15 or younger taking their own lives in 2021 compared to 14 in 2020. This phenomenon is complex, with psychological, social, and economic factors potentially influencing a young person’s decision to end their life. Among these, some researchers caution that certain media and social media exposures may increase or mitigate suicidal ideation, which remains the key factor to address in preventing child suicide. This study primarily aims to compare differences in suicidal ideation among Spanish children exposed to various types of media and social media content. Specifically, we focus on a) identifying which media formats might be protective or increase risk in this population; and b) identifying factors associated with suicidal ideation related to media and social media use in this age group. In this non-experimental study, we surveyed 804 Spanish children aged 10 to 15 years. Our multivariable models identified three variables consistently associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation: frequent online searches for information about suicide, regularly posting private photos on social media, and regularly viewing contests or reality shows.
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The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available to prevent potential misuse. However, they can be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The methodological part has been a result of the project “Spanish Universities in the Media (MECU-ESP): Methodological Strategies and Web Tool for the Study and Classification of News Dissemination about Spanish Universities” (PID2023-153339NA-I00) funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities/the State Research Agency/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, EU. The survey of this article has been funded by the project titled “The relationship between suicidal ideation among Spanish children and their consumption and exposure to media and social networks”, funded under the Childhood and Vulnerability call (FS23-1B) by the Social Observatory of the “La Caixa” Foundation, with code LCF/PR/FS23/60020019.
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DBI and LCC wrote the main manuscript text. SVS, AMC, and JAC developed the theoretical parts, while MGP and YSM contributed both with the design of the work and the interpretation of data. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
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The methodology and design of the study were evaluated and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Málaga (Spain) on January, 31, 2024. The endorsement is recorded under number 79, with CEUMA registration number 129-2023-H.
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Prior to confirming participation in the study, written informed consent was obtained from parents or legal guardians who voluntarily agreed to their children’s participation after receiving a detailed explanation of the study objectives and procedures. These informed consent forms were collected between February and June 2024 and are being securely held by the contracted survey agency, Sigma Dos. In addition, verbal informed assent was obtained from each participating child before completing the questionnaire, administered by a trained surveyor from Sigma Dos.
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Barredo-Ibáñez, D., Garcés-Prettel, M., Caro-Castaño, L. et al. Patterns of media and social media consumption associated with suicidal ideation in Spanish children. Humanit Soc Sci Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-06529-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-06529-0
