Identity features of adolescents with suicidal attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tulitbaeva Galina Fanilevna ORCID: 0000-0002-3754-9473 PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Support and Clinical Psychology, Ufa University of Science and Technology 3/4 Karl Marx str., Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, 450000, Russia tulitbaevagf@rambler.ru Other publications by this author     Politika Oksana Ivanovna ORCID: 0000-0002-5538-7711 PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Support and Clinical Psychology, Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Education Bashkir State University 450000, Russia, respublika Bashkortostan, g. Ufa, ul. Zaki Validi, 32 okcanapolitika@yandex.ru

Safina Lyaisan Faritovna Master's degree, Department of Psychological Support and Clinical Psychology, Bashkir State University 450000, Russia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Ufa, Zaki Validi str., 32 sammerrain74@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. The database on population mortality created by the World Health Organization (WHO) makes it possible to determine that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29. It should be noted that the WHO believes that the situation with teenage suicides in Russia is particularly difficult: Russian teenagers are more likely than their peers from other countries to voluntarily give up their lives ^[1].

According to another source, 3,064 attempted and completed suicides among teenagers were recorded in Russia in the first half of 2021. This is 43% more than in 2020, when there were 2,146 suicides and attempts to commit them.

As numerous sources indicate, a large number of suicides are primarily associated with the Covid pandemic, which swept the whole world in 2019 and continues to this day. Forced self–isolation, emotional tension, anxiety, depressive mood - this is how the public mood of the last three years is characterized, all this contributes to the appearance of thoughts of suicide. This is stated in particular by WHO Director-General Tedros Adanom Ghebreyesus ^[2]. In addition, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) ^[3] expresses concern about the potential increase in the number of suicides due to the economic crisis, social isolation, medical problems and other factors associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The emotional sphere of adolescents is particularly at risk in such a situation. It was in this age group that there was a surge in suicides. Adolescents are more sensitive to loneliness and isolation than other groups of the population, and the reduction of contacts and self-isolation disrupts their normal social life. In addition, during adolescence, the structure of identity is the most dynamic and influenced by various factors.

Presentation of the main material of the article. Two samples were selected for the study: adolescents with a history of suicidal attempts, since suicidal attempts are the most significant factor for identifying features in suicides, and adolescents without suicidal attempts. At the time of the study, all teenagers who attempted suicide were undergoing rehabilitation at the Republican Clinical Psychotherapy Center and the Republican Clinical Psychiatric Hospital of the Republic of Belarus. This group consisted of 42 teenagers, including 22 boys and 20 girls. The average age of the subjects is 17 years.

For the study of comparative data, a group of adolescents without suicidal intentions was identified, which consisted of 84 students of the MAOU "Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 93" of Ufa RB. These are students of the eleventh grade, among them 22 boys and 20 girls.

The research methods were the following tools: methodology of personal identity research (V.B. Nikishina, E.A. Petrash); methodology of personal identity study (L.B. Schneider); questionnaire of social identity (O.V. Vaskova).

Statistical methods of analysis: calculation of arithmetic averages and standard deviations; nonparametric U-Mann-Whitney criterion, correlation analysis by the method of Charles Pearson. Calculations were performed using the SPSS software (version 17.0).

The hypothesis of the study was the following assumption: there are differences in the levels of social and personal identity in adolescents with suicidal attempts and adolescents without suicidal attempts.

The results of the study. To identify differences in social and personal identity in adolescents with suicidal behavior and adolescents without suicidal intentions and actions, we compared the indicators according to the nonparametric U-Mann-Whitney criterion. The results are presented in table 1.

Table 1

Comparative analysis of average group indicators

identities in adolescents

Notes: * – statistically significant differences at a level not lower than p<0.05.

Let's analyze the received data.

Statistically significant differences were found between adolescents with suicidal behavior and adolescents without suicidal intentions in terms of personal identity – socio-psychological adaptation (15.8±4.4; 23.3±4.5; p = 0.00). It follows from this that adolescents without suicidal intentions have a higher level of expression of socio-psychological adaptation, they are more positive about themselves as a person, they have a stable system of value orientations and a high level of reflexivity, unlike adolescents with a history of suicidal attempts.

The average arithmetic data of the group of adolescents with suicidal attempts amounted to 15.8 points, which indicates that they have a low level of socio-psychological adaptation, low levels of authoritarianism and reflexivity, instability of the value system and self-attitude.

The average level of severity of socio-psychological adaptation in adolescents without suicidal attempts is indicated by indicators of 23.3 points. They have a stable system of values and self-attitudes, independence and authoritarianism are much higher than in the previous sample.

Also, adolescents of the two groups had significant differences according to the U-Mann-Whitney criterion in personal identity, in the subject's true ideas about himself, his own path of development (36.8±15.5; 54.1±17.1; p=0.001). Adolescents with suicidal attempts to a lesser extent than adolescents without suicidal intentions, feel and realize the uniqueness of their personality, the uniqueness of their personal qualities. Teenagers with suicidal attempts are more characterized by not accepting the norms and rules of society, striving for detachment, indifference to their own Self, loss of interest in their inner world, low self-esteem.

The average indicators of personal identity have a low (36.8 points) level in adolescents with suicidal behavior, they strive for detachment, there is indifference to their own Self, loss of interest in their inner world, low self-esteem. Teenagers without suicidal intentions have an average level (54 points), which characterizes them as people who have a need for self-fulfillment, who want to express themselves in life, accept the norms and rules of society, maintain their self-esteem.

Statistical analysis of the results of the social identity diagnostic questionnaire revealed significant differences on the "top-down comparison" scale in adolescents with suicidal attempts and adolescents without suicidal intentions (3.3±0.9; 4±1; p=0.04). Adolescents with suicidal attempts are less likely to compare themselves with members of their class in their favor, unlike adolescents of the second group. Comparing yourself with others in adolescence practically means striving for an ideal, striving to be respected in a small group of peers, having your own opinions and views.

According to such variables of social identity as pastime (p=0.11), cohesion (p=0.11), intergroup competition and comparison (p=0.66), collective self-esteem (p=0.06), statistically significant differences according to the U-Mann-Whitney criterion were not found. At the same time, indicators of social identity on the scales of "pastime" (3.9 points), "cohesion" (4 points), "intergroup competition and comparison" (3.4 points), "top-down comparison" (3.3 points), "collective self-esteem" (3.7 points) in adolescents with suicidal behavior have an average level, this indicates that they want to spend time with their classmates in an informal setting, believe that classmates help each other, they are satisfied that they are students of their class, sometimes in some situations they can compare themselves with members of their class in their favor, and also compare their class with others.

The average arithmetic data of a group of adolescents without suicidal intentions have average indicators of social identity on the scales of "intergroup competition and comparison" (3.5 points), "top-down comparison" (4 points), they, as well as representatives of another group, can in some situations compare themselves with members of their class in their favor and compare their class with by others. The high level in this group was marked on the scales of "pastime" (4.4 points), "cohesion" (4.4 points), "collective self-esteem" (4.2 points), teenagers often enjoy spending time together in an informal setting and consider their class cohesive, they are satisfied that they are members of this particular class.

Thus, statistically significant differences are noted in the groups of adolescents with suicidal behavior and adolescents without suicidal intentions according to the indicators "socio-psychological adaptation", "personal identity", "top-down comparison". Significant differences were not established on the scales of "centrality", "ingroup feelings", "ingroup connections", "self-understanding", "pastime", "cohesion", "intergroup competition and comparison".  

Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to talk about the following features of identity in adolescents. Between the selected groups of adolescents with a history of suicide attempts and without them, there are differences in the following indicators of identity: socio-psychological adaptation, personal identity, top-down comparison. Thus, for adolescents without suicidal intentions, the level of severity of socio-psychological adaptation is higher, they are more positive about themselves as a person, they have a stable system of value orientations and a high level of reflexivity, unlike adolescents with a history of suicidal attempts. Teenagers with suicidal attempts to a lesser extent feel and realize the uniqueness of their personality, the uniqueness of their personal qualities, they are characterized by not accepting the norms and rules of society, striving for detachment, indifference to their own Self, loss of interest in their inner world, low self-esteem. The samples are similar in terms of pastime, cohesion, intergroup competition and comparison, and collective self-esteem. That is, teenagers of both groups tend to spend time with their classmates in an informal setting, believe that classmates help each other, they are satisfied that they are students of this class, sometimes in some situations they can compare themselves with members of their class in their favor, and also compare their class with others.

The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying the data obtained in counseling, psychotherapeutic, psychoprophylactic and educational work with adolescents, including those who have committed a suicidal act. The results of the study can be applied in the work on the formation and development of identity in adolescents.