Factors Associated with Assistance and Baiting in Response to Threat of Suicide in an Online Forum

Abstract

Online forums for potentially suicidal individuals are intended to provide peer help and support but may also lead to harassment and baiting. Factors associated with assistance (concern, suggesting seeking medication or treatment) and with baiting (taunting, encouraging self-harm) were investigated in an archival study of the Reddit r/sad forum during 2 months in 2023, in which N = 175 posts flagged suicidal ideas and intent. Assistance was offered in 158 cases (but suicide methods were also suggested to 11 cases), and no response proffered to 17 cases. Offers of assistance were more likely when the suicidal individual did not report substance abuse (r = 0.20) and had a larger audience (r = 0.22). Baiting was more likely when a suicidal person indicated a suicide method (r = 0.27), was receiving more audience responses (r = 0.21) and audience downvotes (r = 0.36). While assistance was much greater than baiting, the incidence of baiting (∼5 percent) and the potential for harm is a concern. Even moderated online forums may present a risk for potentially suicidal people.