Testing the Impact of the #Chatsafe Intervention on Young People's Ability to Communicate Safely About Suicide on Social Media: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Louise La Sala, Charlie Cooper, Matthew J Spittal et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether #chatsafe social media content improved safe online communication about suicide among young people aged 16–25 years. Participants received #chatsafe or a sexual health intervention, with 24 pieces of content delivered over 8 weeks. Among 906 participants, mean safety scores changed by 0.04 with #chatsafe and −0.23 with control; the between-group difference was 0.27 (95% CI 0.00–0.54, p = 0.051), which was not statistically significant. The #chatsafe group showed significant improvements in secondary outcomes of confidence in safe communication and willingness to intervene.
Key findings
- Mean safety scores changed by 0.04 with #chatsafe and −0.23 with control; the primary between-group difference was 0.27 (95% CI 0.00–0.54, p = 0.051).
- No significant between-group difference in the primary outcome was observed 4 weeks after the intervention.
- Secondary outcomes showed significant improvements in confidence communicating safely online and willingness to intervene in the #chatsafe group.
Why it matters
Young people encounter suicide-related content online, where communication may contribute to social transmission of suicide-related behaviours. This trial suggests that structured social media content can improve confidence and willingness to intervene, outcomes relevant to safer online interactions. However, the primary safety outcome did not show a statistically significant between-group difference, so the findings do not establish an effect on overall communication safety.
What to keep in mind
The primary outcome difference was not statistically significant, and no significant between-group difference was observed at 4 weeks post-intervention.