Suicide among adolescents is a growing concern in India, both in the urban and rural contexts. The lack of rigorous reporting, not just of suicidal deaths, but also of the various socioeconomic factors that lead to suicides among adolescents, provides a slanted perspective of the scenario. This is primarily because there is stigma and shame associated with suicides in the Indian context, which often leads to under-reporting of suicides. Accurate data and resources are required to provide remedial measures.

This systematic review by LEAD at Krea University and the Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health (BALM) looks at identifying different risk factors and their movement towards a trajectory of suicide. Multifactorial processes play a role in understanding suicidal behaviours and pathways, and the IMV framework provides a nuanced outlook towards adolescent suicide in India. This study is a step towards contextualising the multifactorial ways in which distress can lead to suicide among adolescents in India.