New research as found that school holidays, which previously provided a protective buffer against suicidal and self-harm behaviours in adolescents, no longer have this effect in the post-pandemic era.

Using data from the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS), Turning Point and Monash University researchers analysed 20,635 ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviours among adolescents aged 12-17 across Victoria.

The study found significant reductions in crisis attendances during school holidays before COVID-19. However, lead author and Turning Point Research Fellow Dr Ryan Baldwin said this protective pattern was no longer observed in the years following the pandemic.

“Prior to COVID-19, we consistently saw ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviours drop during school holiday periods, particularly among adolescent girls,” Dr Baldwin said.

“The summer holiday period showed a 19 per cent reduction in weekly attendance rates among adolescent girls, with similar patterns during the mid-year and September holidays. Among adolescent boys, there were reductions during all holiday periods.”

The research, just published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, examined ambulance attendance data from 2015 to 2023, excluding the COVID restriction period of 2020-2021. In addition, researchers analysed 36,510 attendances among young adults aged 18-25 as a comparison group.

The study found that adolescent boys consistently had lower ambulance attendance rates than adolescent girls, both before and after the pandemic. It also found that the protective effect of school holidays was not observed in young adults, suggesting the seasonal pattern in adolescents was related to school-specific factors.

However, when researchers examined the post-pandemic period (2022-2023), the protective effect of school holidays was no longer present.

Dr Baldwin said the findings suggest that the stressors affecting young people’s mental health may have changed since the pandemic, with factors beyond traditional school-related pressures like bullying, academic pressure and interpersonal issues now playing a role.

“These results indicate that the types of pressures adolescents are experiencing may have shifted since the pandemic. The fact this pattern has disappeared suggests other factors are now playing a more significant role in adolescent distress,” Dr Baldwin said.

The researchers suggested several potential explanations for this change. 

The economic and social impact of the pandemic may have increased home-based stressors such as job loss, financial uncertainty and social isolation. Changes in social dynamics, including increased online presence and cyberbullying, may also mean young people are exposed to stressors year-round rather than getting respite during school breaks.

Alternatively, recent increases in youth mental health funding in Victoria, both within and outside of schools, may have improved access to support services during term time, potentially reducing the contrast between school and holiday periods.

Dr Baldwin said further research was needed to understand these complex changes, including whether this change is temporary or represents a more permanent shift in adolescent mental health patterns and to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these trends.

“This research highlights that we can’t assume the protective factors that worked before will continue to work in the same way. We need to be responsive to how young people’s experiences are changing and ensure our mental health supports adapt accordingly,” Dr Baldwin said.

“Understanding these changes is crucial for informing prevention and early intervention strategies for adolescent mental health. We need to ensure support services are available to young people not just during the school term, but year-round,” Dr Baldwin said.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES