Psychological Autopsies Expanded to Investigate Causes of Youth Suicide

Amid a recent rise in youth suicides, psychological autopsies, which conduct multifaceted analyses of causes of death, will be expanded to include adolescents starting next year. The Ministries of Education, Health and Welfare, Gender Equality and Family, and the National Police Agency signed a memorandum of understanding for the 'Youth Psychological Autopsy Project' on the 20th, detailing these plans.

The number of students who died by suicide increased by 63.5% from 148 in 2020 to 242 last year. By school level, the number of high school suicides rose from 118 to 146, and middle school suicides increased from 70 to 90. Conversely, elementary school suicides decreased from 9 to 6.

Psychological autopsy is a process of scientifically identifying the cause of death through interviews with bereaved families and analysis of records. For adults, a total of 1,602 psychological autopsies were conducted from 2015 to last year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will oversee the youth psychological autopsy project, responsible for developing and implementing interview tools and guidelines. The Ministry of Education will collect and provide data related to student suicides and support the participation of bereaved families, teachers, and counselors. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will gather and supply relevant records, such as psychological counseling data for out-of-school youth. The National Police Agency will provide investigation-related information, including contact details for bereaved families, upon incident occurrence.

Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin stated that the youth psychological autopsy project is a starting point for understanding adolescents' concerns and pain, closely identifying warning signs, and building a safe mental health support system. Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Hyung-hoon remarked that youth suicide is not an individual problem but a systemic issue that society as a whole must address. Minister of Gender Equality and Family Won Min-kyung emphasized cooperation to ensure the project is effectively operated for out-of-school youth, who are often in vulnerable positions. Acting Commissioner of the National Police Agency Yoo Jae-seong added that systematically analyzing the causes of incidents is essential for preventing tragedies.