Summary: The paper reviews some recent research on the social context of
suicide in young people, with particular reference to evidence about the gendered
character of suicidal behaviour. Some implications for social work and social policy
are discussed.
Findings: Key messages from the research reviewed are presented in relation
to some specific social domains. These are employment, social cohesion and social
comparison, mental illness, family and relationships, sexual orientation and help-seeking.
Applications: This review is especially of use to those in the social work
field who are not familiar with the large body of research on the social context of
youth suicide in the medical and psychological literature. There is some discussion
in the article of the implications of this research for suicide prevention, both in
terms of policy and in terms of the practices of individual social workers.
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