Teen Suicide in One Province in Cordillera

Abstract

As the teenage suicide was increasingly happening during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study was conducted purposely to determine the profile of victims of suicide as to age, sex, and educational background and identify the causes of teen suicide in one province in Cordillera. The qualitative design and snowball sampling method were used with the study. There were eight key informants composed of Philippine National Police (PNP) officers, teachers, and DSWD personnel. The study revealed that teens who committed suicide were between 1-21 years old and 22-41 years old. The majority of the suicide victims are males, senior high school, and college students. The causes of teenage suicide are the unseen image of suicide, depression, stress, personal problems, and promises not fulfilled due to poverty and hanging. This study finds that teen suicide can be prevented by giving importance to and acting upon family members’ unseen images of suicide. In the light of the findings, this study proposes an intervention program dubbed as “Psychosocial Intervention Program for Teen Suicide.” In the prevention of such acts, the family, along with government authorities such as the PNP and the DSWD, work hand in hand in helping individuals who are at the brink of their mental states to consider designing a psychosocial intervention geared toward this goal to incorporate activities that promotes prosocial behaviors and rekindling essential information on the unseen image of suicide.