This thesis aims to explore the topic of suicide in adolescence and the seek for help both in the context of real life and online, particularly in social networks. Several studies are presented that shed light on the potential experiences that adolescents may encounter while interacting with social networks, engaging in self-harm content, and navigating the, often very confusing, path of seeking formal and informal help, online and in real life. The experimentation develops around the deeper study of suicide among adolescents and include semi-structured phenomenological interviews. These interviews begin with the brief narrative of a young English girl who took her own life in 2017 after being exposed to a vast amount of content promoting suicide, suggested by algorithms of some social networks. The interviews were conducted with ten adolescents (14-18 years old), and aim to explore the significance that participants attribute to seeking help during difficult and suffering moments. In particular, the study wants to gain a deeper understanding of the process of seeking psychological support, in whom they place their trust to resolve personal issues, and how they navigate through periods of distress. Furthermore, it’s been examined the role that social networks play in their lives, being constantly exposed to various posts and comments regarding mental health. Lastly, the study investigates their experiences with mental health problems, and its potential social influences on their lives. From the thematic analysis, seven themes emerged regarding the research areas: the dangers of exposure to mental health content on social networks; seeking help on social networks: a shallow context distant from reality; seeking help in real life: the importance of overcoming obstacles to get the necessary help; seeking help from peers: a resource and an almost always reliable presence; seeking help from parents: an unbridgeable distance; mental health and depression: a complex and unfamiliar world; suicide and the importance of receiving help at the right time.
La presente tesi si propone di esplorare la tematica del suicidio in adolescenza e la ricerca di aiuto sia nel contesto della vita reale, sia in quello online, in particolare nei social network. Sono presentate alcune ricerche che hanno messo in luce le esperienze che gli adolescenti vivono interfacciandosi con i social network, con contenuti che trattano l’autolesionismo e con la ricerca, spesso molto confusa, di aiuto formale e informale, online e nella vita reale. La sperimentazione nasce intorno all’approfondimento della tematica del suicidio tra gli adolescenti e prevede l’uso di interviste fenomenologiche semi-strutturate. Esse si sono sviluppate a partire dal breve racconto di una giovane ragazza inglese che nel 2017 si è tolta la vita a seguito della visione di una grande mole di contenuti che incitavano al suicidio, proposti dall’algoritmo di alcuni social network. Le interviste sono state effettuate su un campione di dieci adolescenti (14-18 anni), e vogliono esplorare il significato che i partecipanti attribuiscono alla ricerca di aiuto nei momenti di difficoltà e di sofferenza. In particolare, si è cercato di approfondire come avviene la ricerca di supporto psicologico, su chi viene riposta la fiducia per risolvere i propri problemi personali e come viene affrontato un periodo di sofferenza. È stato inoltre esaminato il ruolo che i social network hanno nella loro vita, essendo costantemente esposti a vari contenuti e commenti riguardanti la salute mentale. Infine, si sono indagate le loro esperienze con i problemi di salute mentale, e le possibili influenze sociali sul loro vissuto. Dall’analisi tematica sono emersi sette temi riguardanti le aree di ricerca: pericolosità dell’esposizione a contenuti di salute mentale sui social network; chiedere aiuto sui social network: un contesto superficiale e lontano dalla realtà; chiedere aiuto nella vita reale: l’importanza di superare gli ostacoli per ottenere l’aiuto di cui si necessita; chiedere aiuto ai pari: una risorsa e una presenza quasi sempre sicura; chiedere aiuto ai genitori: una distanza incolmabile; salute mentale e depressione: un mondo complesso ed estraneo; suicidio e importanza di ricevere aiuto al momento giusto.
Prevenzione suicidio e adolescenti: uno studio fenomenologico sulla ricerca di aiuto online e nella vita reale
TINI, ELISA
2022/2023
Abstract
This thesis aims to explore the topic of suicide in adolescence and the seek for help both in the context of real life and online, particularly in social networks. Several studies are presented that shed light on the potential experiences that adolescents may encounter while interacting with social networks, engaging in self-harm content, and navigating the, often very confusing, path of seeking formal and informal help, online and in real life. The experimentation develops around the deeper study of suicide among adolescents and include semi-structured phenomenological interviews. These interviews begin with the brief narrative of a young English girl who took her own life in 2017 after being exposed to a vast amount of content promoting suicide, suggested by algorithms of some social networks. The interviews were conducted with ten adolescents (14-18 years old), and aim to explore the significance that participants attribute to seeking help during difficult and suffering moments. In particular, the study wants to gain a deeper understanding of the process of seeking psychological support, in whom they place their trust to resolve personal issues, and how they navigate through periods of distress. Furthermore, it’s been examined the role that social networks play in their lives, being constantly exposed to various posts and comments regarding mental health. Lastly, the study investigates their experiences with mental health problems, and its potential social influences on their lives. From the thematic analysis, seven themes emerged regarding the research areas: the dangers of exposure to mental health content on social networks; seeking help on social networks: a shallow context distant from reality; seeking help in real life: the importance of overcoming obstacles to get the necessary help; seeking help from peers: a resource and an almost always reliable presence; seeking help from parents: an unbridgeable distance; mental health and depression: a complex and unfamiliar world; suicide and the importance of receiving help at the right time.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/3387