Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jun 5, 2025
Date Accepted: Sep 25, 2025
Effect of TikTok on self-harming and suicidal behaviors in the adolescent population: Protocol for a systematic review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Social media use among adolescents has increased exponentially over the last decade, with TikTok being one of the most popular platforms. In Spain, 61% of minors use TikTok, spending an average of 1.5 hours daily on the app. This phenomenon coincides with an alarming increase in the prevalence of self-harm and suicidal behavior among adolescents. Moreover, suicidal behavior is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in this age group.
Objective:
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the existing evidence on the association between TikTok uses, self-harming and suicidal behaviors in the adolescent population.
Methods:
This systematic review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines to ensure transparency, rigor, and reproducibility. Original studies that evaluate the impact of TikTok use on self-harming and suicidal behaviors will be selected. The primary outcome will be the occurrence and prevalence of self-harm and suicidal behavior related to TikTok use among adolescents. Main health science literature databases — including PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus — will be searched. Two researchers will independently select studies that meet the predefined eligibility criteria, and extract data from each included study. The risk of bias and methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools, respectively. The methodological characteristics, association measures, and qualitative conclusions of the reviewed studies will be analyzed, and a descriptive synthesis will be presented through tables and graphs.
Results:
Data collection was completed by June 2025. Results are expected to be published in 2025.
Conclusions:
This systematic review will help better to understand the relationship between TikTok uses, self-harming and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. Our findings may support future research, recommendations, and policies in this field, emphasizing the need to incorporate the digital environment as a key factor in adolescent mental health.
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