This systematic review of 194 studies confirms that suicidal behavior among European youth is a multifactorial public health issue, documenting risk factors across ten thematic domains and a robust gender paradox of higher ideation and attempts in women but higher mortality in men.
Lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation among European youth ranged from 14–23% and suicide attempts ranged from 6–9%.
A robust gender paradox was confirmed, with higher rates of suicidal ideation and attempts in women but higher suicidal mortality in men.
Risk factors for suicidal behavior in European youth spanned ten thematic domains.
Sexual minority status and sleep/physical health were identified as consistent risk domains that are distinctively documented in European research compared to other world regions.
Research coverage across Europe was markedly uneven, with Northern and Western Europe accounting for most included studies.
The authors concluded that coordinated public policies should integrate suicide prevention into youth health agendas with specific programmatic priorities.
This research synthesized findings from 194 studies published over nearly five decades to identify what puts young Europeans (aged 15–35) at risk for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide-related deaths. The review found that between roughly 1 in 7 and 1 in 4 young Europeans report having experienced suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives, and between 6 and 9 percent report having made a suicide attempt. Risk factors were organized into ten broad categories, ranging from family environment and childhood trauma to sleep problems, substance use, mental health conditions, and social isolation. One of the clearest patterns confirmed by this review is what researchers call the 'gender paradox': young women are more likely to think about suicide and to make attempts, while young men are more likely to die by suicide. The review also found that being part of a sexual minority (LGBTQ+) and having poor sleep or physical health were particularly well-documented risk factors in the European context compared to research from other parts of the world. However, most of the research came from Northern and Western Europe, meaning less is known about youth in Southern and Eastern European countries. This research suggests that preventing suicide in young Europeans requires coordinated, multi-pronged approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. The authors specifically highlight the need for programs designed with LGBTQ+ youth in mind, better follow-up care after self-harm incidents, use of digital tools for risk screening, and approaches that account for differences in how suicide risk presents in young men versus young women.
Upload your bloodwork. We'll cross-reference your results against this study and 4,700 others.
Upload Your LabsArnau Carmona, Ariadna Corbella-Sotil, A. Colomer-Salvans, Queralt Sales-Nomen, Jordi Mestres-Carbonell, Raquel Leal-Pujol, et al.. (2026). Risk Factors for Suicidal Behavior Among European Youth: A Systematic Review.. Archives of Suicide Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2026.2718276