Prevention of suicides: Can chatbots, other conversational agents help?

Suicide rates in young men have increased by 34%, and in young women by 76%.

Australia’s first suicide prevention chatbot for the family and friends of those in crisis was launched last week by Lifeline, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to crisis support and suicide prevention.

The chatbot, developed in partnership with Twitter, is called #BeALifeline Direct Message (DM) Chatbot. It seeks to help the family and friends of those at risk to quickly and easily start a conversation about suicide.

Users must have a Twitter account to converse with the chatbot, which directs people to Lifeline resources, including contact details for telephone or online support, advice and information.

This is a big shift in the way Lifeline provides support to young people in need. It raises the question of what role, if any, chatbots and other conversational agents should play in suicide prevention.

Suicide among young people is increasing

Some 3,128 Australians lost their lives to suicide in 2017. That’s an increase of 9% from 2016. Young people aged between 15 and 24 years accounted for 13% of these deaths.

The suicide rate among young people has increased at an alarming rate over the past ten years. Suicide rates in young men have increased by 34%, and in young women by 76%.

Given these numbers, there is clearly a need for innovative and youth-friendly approaches to suicide prevention that can meet the needs of those at risk – whether they are looking for information or direct support.

The ubiquitous presence of social media in young people’s lives offers an unprecedented opportunity to potentially revolutionise suicide prevention. And as a sector, we have begun to seize these opportunities.

Meeting young people where they are

Globally, young people are avid users of social media and digital technologies. They use these platforms for a range of purposes – including for communicating about suicide.

Dr Dan Reidenberg, of US-based nonprofit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), believes social media chatbots can be used in several ways to aid suicide prevention – including to help identify people at risk early on, to provide people with options for seeking help, and potentially even to provide direct support.

Others we have spoken to in the digital media sector agree, stating that bots are definitely a part of the future – especially for people seeking help, or for those who want to help others, but who don’t necessarily have the skills or confidence to do so.... Read More

Business Standard