ADOLESCENTS’ EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO A SUICIDE ATTEMPT SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSIGHTS FROM COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE

Adolescents' use of social media has created spaces for identity expression and social interaction, but it has also highlighted challenges related to mental health and emotional well-being.This study examines how adolescents emotionally respond to a suicide attempt shared on social media, considering the impact of individual and group phases of response.The objective was to explore the polarity, subjectivity, and emotional concordance within these responses, emphasizing potential risk factors and support dynamics.Using text analysis tools such as Voyant Tools and Meaning Cloud, the study analyzed responses from adolescents to identify key emotional patterns.Voyant Tools enabled a word correlation analysis, while Meaning Cloud assessed sentiment metrics, including polarity (positive or negative), subjectivity, and emotional agreement.Data were analyzed across seven phases to observe emotional evolution and variability.The results revealed that the majority of responses displayed positive polarity, characterized by empathy and calls for professional help.Strong correlations emerged between terms related to support, such as "help" and "psychologist" (0.99, p<.001).However, a subset of responses contained negative polarity, including ridiculing the victim or reinforcing suicidal behavior.Correlations highlighted the diminished perceived role of parental figures, with "parents" negatively associated with terms like "support" and "divorce" (-0.25, p<.01).Additionally, references to bullying and self-objectification were frequent, reflecting adolescents' awareness of the social pressures linked to mental health struggles.The findings underscore the dual role of social media in providing both support and risk.While many adolescents demonstrated an understanding of the situation and offered constructive advice, others reflected a lack of empathy or even harmful behavior.The study also highlights the role of community dynamics, where individuals acted as either supporters ("lifeguards") or instigators ("trolls"), influencing outcomes in the online space.This research highlights the need for educational interventions that enhance digital literacy and emotional resilience among adolescents.Training programs should aim to foster empathetic online interactions while equipping young users with tools to identify and mitigate harmful behaviors.Platforms should also incorporate mechanisms to promote positive engagement and provide immediate access to support resources.