The experiences of young people with lived or living experience of suicide of being involved as collaborators or participants in suicide research

Abstract Objective: Conducting youth suicide research comes with inherent challenges related to topic and age sensitivities. Despite this, there is a paucity of knowledge about how young people experience their research involvement. This study aimed to explore the experiences of young people with lived or living experience of suicide of being involved as collaborators or participants in suicide research. Method: In this qualitative study, 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted via video software between 11th August and 19th November 2021. Participants included those aged 18-29 years, who had lived or living experiences of suicide, had been involved in suicide research, and were living in United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Eight participants had previously been involved in co-production and five as participants. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate themes. Results: Three themes were generated: 1. Young people want – but don’t always receive - support that is individualised, multi-faceted and actionable; 2. The relationship with the researcher drives the experience; and 3. Using traumatic experiences to create positive and meaningful change. Conclusion: For young people with lived and living experience of suicide to be safely and effectively in suicide research, individual support that is nuanced, dynamic, and tailored is required, regardless of the type of research involvement.