Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Study: Kids' Suicides Spiked After Netflix Series Release
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
April 30, 2019

Share

Suicides among U.S. kids aged 10 to 17 jumped to a 19-year high in the month following the release of a popular TV series that depicted a girl ending her life, researchers said.
The study published Monday can’t prove that the Netflix show “13 Reasons Why” was the cause, but there were 195 more youth suicides than would have been expected in the nine months following the show’s March 2017 release, given historical and seasonal suicide trends, the study estimated.

The results are plausible and add to evidence that compelling media depictions of suicide can negatively influence young people.” — sociologist Anna Mueller 
During April 2017 alone, 190 U.S. tweens and teens took their own lives. Their April 2017 suicide rate was .57 per 100,000 people, nearly 30 percent higher than in the preceding five years included in the study. An additional analysis found that the April rate was higher than in the previous 19 years, said lead author Jeff Bridge, a suicide researcher at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“The creators of the series intentionally portrayed the suicide of the main character. It was a very graphic depiction of the suicide death,” which can trigger suicidal behavior, Bridge said.

Study’s Limitations Acknowledged

Bridge acknowledged the study’s limitations included not knowing whether anyone who died by suicide had watched the show. Also, the researchers were not able to account for other factors that might have influenced suicides. Those include the April 19, 2017, suicide of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez and a man accused of a Facebook-publicized killing who died by suicide the day before Hernandez. Bridge said those deaths couldn’t account for the spike the study found for the entire month of April.
The researchers analyzed data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on deaths in Americans aged 10 to 64 from January 2013 through December 2017. Their results were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The researchers found no change in suicide rates in those 18 and older after the show was released.
The results are plausible and add to evidence that compelling media depictions of suicide can negatively influence young people, said sociologist Anna Mueller of the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the research.

Suicide is 2nd Leading Cause of Death for Teens

Lisa Horowitz, a co-author and researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health, noted that suicide is the second leading cause of death for U.S. teens and called it “a major public health crisis.” Her agency helped pay for the study.
Teen suicide rates have increased in recent years and other research has suggested that bullying and heavy use of social media may contribute to the risk.

“This is a critically important topic and we have worked hard to ensure that we handle this sensitive issue responsibly.” — Netflix spokesperson
Netflix included warning messages with some of the episodes and created a website with crisis hotlines and other resources. In the second season, the show’s actors offered advice to viewers on where to seek help. The series’ third season will run later this year.

Netflix: Study Contradicts Other Findings

A Netflix spokesman noted that the new study conflicts with University of Pennsylvania research published last week that found fewer suicidal thoughts among young adults who watched the entire second season than among non-viewers.
“We’ve just seen the study and are looking into the research,” he said. “This is a critically important topic and we have worked hard to ensure that we handle this sensitive issue responsibly.”
Horowitz said the new results highlight how important it is for parents and other adults to connect with young people.
“Start a conversation, ask how are they coping with the ups and downs of life, and don’t be afraid to ask about suicide,” she said. It’s a myth that just asking might be a trigger, Horowitz said.
“One of the best ways to prevent is to ask,” she said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

DON'T MISS

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

DON'T MISS

Fresno County’s New Breeding Ordinance Could Shut Down 50 Operations

DON'T MISS

NATO Leaders Set to Back Trump Defense Spending Goal at Hague Summit

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Wildfire Quickly Contained. How Did They Do It?

DON'T MISS

Lender’s Intervention Halts City of Fresno’s Eviction Attempt at Granite Park

DON'T MISS

Clovis Unified Faces Lawsuit Alleging Years of Neglect and Sexual Abuse at Fancher Creek

DON'T MISS

Suspect in Bombing at California Fertility Clinic Dies in Federal Custody

DON'T MISS

US Airstrikes Failed to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Sites, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Stephen Miller Expands Power in Second Trump Term, Defies Legal Limits

UP NEXT

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

UP NEXT

Clovis Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison in Deadly Fentanyl Case

UP NEXT

Victims Identified as Death Toll Climbs to 8 in Lake Tahoe Boating Tragedy

UP NEXT

Florida to Build ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center for Migrants in Everglades

UP NEXT

Metallica Thrashes On at Levi’s, Aging Gracefully With Its Fans

UP NEXT

Americans Worry Conflict With Iran Could Escalate, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

UP NEXT

Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes

UP NEXT

Mariska Hargitay Comes to Terms With a Lifetime of Family Secrets

UP NEXT

The Secret to Finding the Best Travel Bargains

UP NEXT

Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 Levels Up With Four Days of Deals Starting July 8

Teamsters President Urges Congress to Scrap AI State Law Ban

1 hour ago

Fresno Residents Join Nationwide Fast to Call Attention to Gaza Crisis

1 hour ago

SoCal Vice Mayor Urges Street Gang ‘Cholos’ to Rise Up Against ICE

1 hour ago

UK Says It’s Buying 12 F-35A Stealth Jets That Can Carry Nuclear Weapons

1 hour ago

California Cops Save Baby Trapped in Hot Car

2 hours ago

Iran’s ‘Paper Tiger’ Leadership Will Fall, Predicts Nobel Peace Laureate Ebadi

2 hours ago

Republicans Dangle Reprieve From Tax Retaliation as Trump Bill Heads Toward Votes

2 hours ago

How a Birthday Boat Ride on Lake Tahoe Turned Tragic

3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Kimberly Ann Harris

3 hours ago

Trump Says Spain Will Pay More in Trade Deal After Refusal to Meet NATO Defense Spending Targets

3 hours ago

Israeli Spy Chief Commends Agents for Iran Mission, Vows to Remain Vigilant

Mossad spy chief David Barnea praised his agents for their role in Israel’s operation against Iran, expressed gratitude to AmericaR...

3 minutes ago

David Barnea, the head of the Israeli Mossad attends an honor guard ceremony for Israel's incoming military chief Herzi Halevi at Israel's Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel January 16, 2023. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
3 minutes ago

Israeli Spy Chief Commends Agents for Iran Mission, Vows to Remain Vigilant

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte holds a press conference ahead of a NATO summit, in The Hague, Netherlands June 23, 2025. (Reuters/Yves Herman)
8 minutes ago

All NATO, Including US, ‘Totally Committed’ to Keeping Ukraine in Fight, Rutte Says

Zohran Mamdani Speaks to Supporters
18 minutes ago

Can New Star Zohran Mamdani Help Guide the Democratic Party Out of the Darkness?

Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

Teamsters President Urges Congress to Scrap AI State Law Ban

Six Fresno residents are participating in a nationwide “Fast for Gaza” movement, consuming only 250 calories a day to protest the humanitarian crisis and highlight the reported starvation conditions in Gaza. (Raza Against War)
1 hour ago

Fresno Residents Join Nationwide Fast to Call Attention to Gaza Crisis

1 hour ago

SoCal Vice Mayor Urges Street Gang ‘Cholos’ to Rise Up Against ICE

Britain will purchase 12 U.S.-made F-35A fighter jets to restore its air-based nuclear capability and bolster NATO’s nuclear mission. (Shutterstock)
1 hour ago

UK Says It’s Buying 12 F-35A Stealth Jets That Can Carry Nuclear Weapons

Photo of caution tape
2 hours ago

California Cops Save Baby Trapped in Hot Car

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend