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Sophia Keely

Mrs. Crandall

AP Language 2nd

17 October 2019

Literature Review

SOCIAL NETWORKING’S EFFECTS ON TEEN SUICIDE

Perceptions surrounding this subject matter vary, most containing both similarities and

differences. Experts Tony Durkee and Michael Jellinek share similar accusations that teen

suicide is driven by a sense of loss, and the entwined internet usage by the modern-day

adolescents only provokes these negative mindsets. When it comes to Tony Durkee, an associate

at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, claims that “various studies have

shown that internet usage does have an effect on suicidal behavior, particularly among isolated

and vulnerable adolescents” (2). Durkee goes on to express the severity of cyberbullying and

pro-suicide online corporations that “bully individuals into committing suicide”

Similarly, Michael Jellinek, a professor of Psychiatry and of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical

School, explains that one’s teenage years are full of adventure and major change. Jellinek refers

to these unforgettable periods of life as “a time of developing identity […] skills and limitations,

engaging in intense peer relationships, and shifting one’s focus away from parents and family”

(10). Therefore, both authors believe that the adolescent years of life consist of individuals full of

emotions and change, and the utilization of social media can manipulate these already unsteady

feelings. On the contrary, Jeremy Olson, a reporter for the Star Tribune, asserts that conclusions

drawn about the causes of teen suicide are both “inaccurate and harmful” (1). He contrasts

Durkee and Jellinek by explaining that mental illness is the most proven risk factor, while
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mentioning how “most focus on bullying […] but there is no research to suggest it is any greater

a risk factor than divorce, substance abuse, social isolation, and other problems” (Olson 11).

TECHNOLOGY’S EFFECTS ON THE ORIGIN OF TEEN BEHAVIOR AND HEALTH

When it comes to digital technology, Durkee and Winsioski harmonize that the recent

technological advancements are the root of many health affairs and hazards, predominantly

amongst its leading users, teens and young adults. Matthew Winsioski, an associate professor of

Science and Technology at Virginia Tech, discusses that today’s obsession with digital

technology has left people with a false sense of reality, both mentally and socially. He continues

to insinuate on the effects of these addictive habits, saying it’s users are “lacking face-to-face

cues, […] keeping loneliness at bay”, and not perceiving that their true identities are diminishing

(Winsioski 1). Correspondingly, Durkee conveys, through his many studies, that the stem of

suicidal behavior derives from numerous different underlying psychopathologies. These

conditions include: “depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, impulsivity, social phobias, obsessive-

compulsive and affective disorders” (Durkee 27). Olson readily agrees alongside Winsioski and

Durkee that health concerns cause suicidal behavior, however, he believes it is more than just

technology and cyberbullying. With that said, Olson analyzes the contagion effect as it relates to

teen suicide saying, “One suicide motivates another […] but rather teens with shared

circumstances or depressed influenced by media” (18).