Social bonds, recognition linked to reduced suicidal thoughts in teens
Actions taken by parents, schools and neighbors can reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior among Pennsylvania teens, according to a new study by Penn State researchers
suicide-prevention-prc
Connection to their family is the strongest protective factor against adolescent suicide, according to a new study by Penn State researchers. Engaging in a teenager’s interests is one good way to build connection, the researchers said. Credit: Miljan Živković / Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.
August 5, 2026
By Aaron Wagner
Nearly one in five teenagers has suicidal thoughts, and suicide is the second most common cause of death for that age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social bonds and social recognition, however, could reduce the risk of adolescent suicide, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development.
Suicide and suicidality are complex. To determine how young people’s interactions with others connected to higher or lower suicidal thoughts, actions or risk factors, the researchers examined data from nearly 200,000 Pennsylvania teenagers.
Overall, the team found that personal connections and public recognition for achievements at the family, school and community levels were related to reduced suicide risk, either directly or through lower levels of depression, substance use or bullying. They also found that rural students face greater risk than urban students. Published online in Journal of Adolescent Health, study results indicate how parents, schools and neighbors can help reduce suicide risk in their families and communities.
“We found that strong social bonds help decrease teen suicide risk in every circumstance,” said Xue Zhang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health and lead author of the study. “While there is no single solution to preventing adolescent suicide, strengthening social bonds is a strategy that can benefit all young people.”
“While there is no single solution to preventing adolescent suicide, strengthening social bonds is a strategy that can benefit all young people.”
– Xue Zhang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State
The researchers analyzed data from 190,151 students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 who participated in the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), a long-running survey of behavior and attitudes related to violence and the use of intoxicating or addictive substances. PAYS includes questions about substance use, depression and experiences of being bullied, factors shown to increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Students also answer questions about several factors that are known to reduce suicide risk, including their relationship with parents or caregivers, their engagement in and perceived value of school and how much they want to leave their community.
“At the highest level, these results are clear: strong relationships are key protective factors in youth suicide prevention,” said Jonathan Wright, assistant research professor in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and co-author of the study. “And when you dig into the data a little deeper, there are nuanced results that might help parents, towns and school districts keep their children safe.”
Teenagers who reported a stronger attachment to their immediate family demonstrated the greatest reduction in suicide risk. In the survey, study participants indicated whether they felt low, moderate or high attachment to their families. Those who reported one higher level of attachment — from low to moderate or from moderate to high — had one-third less suicide risk than peers.
“This is great news because it means there is something families can do,” said Zhang, a Penn State Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member. “Building a closer relationship with a teenager may not always feel easy, but it is possible. Research has identified many ways that parents can connect with their adolescent children. Listening to teens without judgment, taking an interest in topics that matter to them, and doing fun things together are great places for parents to start.”
Other results indicated that engagement in school decreased not only suicide risk but also depression, substance misuse and bully victimization, which are independent risks for suicide.
“This study and other research have shown that after-school programs are extremely valuable to both a child’s education and their mental health,” Wright said. “These programs help adolescents get involved and interact more with other youth, faculty and staff. This builds a sense of belonging and commitment, which reduces suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
At the community level, recognition of accomplishments — like newspaper stories about academic achievements or sports successes — can increase both teens’ familial bonds and their commitment to school, bolstering the effects of those protective factors.
“Preventing adolescent suicide is a shared responsibility, and adults at home, in schools, and across communities all have an important role to play,” Zhang said.
The researchers identified one risk factor that cannot easily be modified — rurality. In the study, teens in rural counties were 7% more likely than their urban counterparts to have a plan for or to attempt suicide. Though the researchers said this was troubling, they noted that rural communities also had higher levels of community recognition for teens, which is protective.
“Rural communities face unique challenges, in part because there are fewer opportunities to participate in programs that engage — and therefore protect — adolescents,” Wright said. “The suicide risks faced by rural teens differ in small but important ways from the risks faced by urban teens. Schools and communities in any location should be acutely aware of what opportunities and programs youth can access and what may be missing from their teens’ lives.”
To illustrate risk, Wright used the metaphor of a stream, which carries a risk of drowning, flowing through the middle of a town. Even though the stream cannot be removed, people’s risk of drowning can be changed. The community could erect fences where people often fall in, and they could identify the best places along the river to pull people out before they drown.
“We can erect upstream protective ‘fences’ that keep people from falling into the river of suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” Wright said. “This study identified social connections and forms of recognition that could serve as fences to make youth safer. Other programs — like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and local community-based programs — are designed to pull people out of that river. Together, we can help adolescents thrive and grow into a safe, healthy future.”
Recent News
Social bonds, recognition linked to reduced suicidal thoughts in teens
Actions taken by parents, schools and neighbors can reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior among Pennsylvania teens, according to a new study by Penn State researchers
suicide-prevention-prc
Connection to their family is the strongest protective factor against adolescent suicide, according to a new study by Penn State researchers. Engaging in a teenager’s interests is one good way to build connection, the researchers said. Credit: Miljan Živković / Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.
August 5, 2026
By Aaron Wagner
Nearly one in five teenagers has suicidal thoughts, and suicide is the second most common cause of death for that age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social bonds and social recognition, however, could reduce the risk of adolescent suicide, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development.
Suicide and suicidality are complex. To determine how young people’s interactions with others connected to higher or lower suicidal thoughts, actions or risk factors, the researchers examined data from nearly 200,000 Pennsylvania teenagers.
Overall, the team found that personal connections and public recognition for achievements at the family, school and community levels were related to reduced suicide risk, either directly or through lower levels of depression, substance use or bullying. They also found that rural students face greater risk than urban students. Published online in Journal of Adolescent Health, study results indicate how parents, schools and neighbors can help reduce suicide risk in their families and communities.
“We found that strong social bonds help decrease teen suicide risk in every circumstance,” said Xue Zhang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health and lead author of the study. “While there is no single solution to preventing adolescent suicide, strengthening social bonds is a strategy that can benefit all young people.”
“While there is no single solution to preventing adolescent suicide, strengthening social bonds is a strategy that can benefit all young people.”
– Xue Zhang, assistant professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State
The researchers analyzed data from 190,151 students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 who participated in the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), a long-running survey of behavior and attitudes related to violence and the use of intoxicating or addictive substances. PAYS includes questions about substance use, depression and experiences of being bullied, factors shown to increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Students also answer questions about several factors that are known to reduce suicide risk, including their relationship with parents or caregivers, their engagement in and perceived value of school and how much they want to leave their community.
“At the highest level, these results are clear: strong relationships are key protective factors in youth suicide prevention,” said Jonathan Wright, assistant research professor in the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and co-author of the study. “And when you dig into the data a little deeper, there are nuanced results that might help parents, towns and school districts keep their children safe.”
Teenagers who reported a stronger attachment to their immediate family demonstrated the greatest reduction in suicide risk. In the survey, study participants indicated whether they felt low, moderate or high attachment to their families. Those who reported one higher level of attachment — from low to moderate or from moderate to high — had one-third less suicide risk than peers.
“This is great news because it means there is something families can do,” said Zhang, a Penn State Social Science Research Institute co-funded faculty member. “Building a closer relationship with a teenager may not always feel easy, but it is possible. Research has identified many ways that parents can connect with their adolescent children. Listening to teens without judgment, taking an interest in topics that matter to them, and doing fun things together are great places for parents to start.”
Other results indicated that engagement in school decreased not only suicide risk but also depression, substance misuse and bully victimization, which are independent risks for suicide.
“This study and other research have shown that after-school programs are extremely valuable to both a child’s education and their mental health,” Wright said. “These programs help adolescents get involved and interact more with other youth, faculty and staff. This builds a sense of belonging and commitment, which reduces suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
At the community level, recognition of accomplishments — like newspaper stories about academic achievements or sports successes — can increase both teens’ familial bonds and their commitment to school, bolstering the effects of those protective factors.
“Preventing adolescent suicide is a shared responsibility, and adults at home, in schools, and across communities all have an important role to play,” Zhang said.
The researchers identified one risk factor that cannot easily be modified — rurality. In the study, teens in rural counties were 7% more likely than their urban counterparts to have a plan for or to attempt suicide. Though the researchers said this was troubling, they noted that rural communities also had higher levels of community recognition for teens, which is protective.
“Rural communities face unique challenges, in part because there are fewer opportunities to participate in programs that engage — and therefore protect — adolescents,” Wright said. “The suicide risks faced by rural teens differ in small but important ways from the risks faced by urban teens. Schools and communities in any location should be acutely aware of what opportunities and programs youth can access and what may be missing from their teens’ lives.”
To illustrate risk, Wright used the metaphor of a stream, which carries a risk of drowning, flowing through the middle of a town. Even though the stream cannot be removed, people’s risk of drowning can be changed. The community could erect fences where people often fall in, and they could identify the best places along the river to pull people out before they drown.
“We can erect upstream protective ‘fences’ that keep people from falling into the river of suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” Wright said. “This study identified social connections and forms of recognition that could serve as fences to make youth safer. Other programs — like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and local community-based programs — are designed to pull people out of that river. Together, we can help adolescents thrive and grow into a safe, healthy future.”
