IPB University Expert Highlights Child Suicide Cases, Emphasizes the Role of Family and Environment
Recently, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) released data showing that Indonesia has the highest number of child suicide cases in Southeast Asia.
In response, IPB University child care expert Prof Dwi Hastuti said that more comprehensive and continuous data monitoring is needed.
“We need to check whether there is surveillance data that continuously monitors this development, because there should be continuous data related to suicide rates and delinquency among children and adolescents in Indonesia,” she said.
The Importance of Emotional Closeness
She explained that children who commit suicide are generally in a state of despair and hopelessness. This condition should be preventable through emotional closeness between children and their parents.
“At preschool age, children are usually closer to their mothers. Meanwhile, when they enter school age until adolescence, closeness with their fathers also becomes important. However, this closeness can only be built if there is sufficient interaction from childhood,” she explained.
Prof Dwi mentioned that children who lose hope usually experience stress, frustration, and even depression. In many cases, parents are unaware of the signs of stress in their children until the condition develops into something more serious.
The sources of stress in children, she continued, are very diverse, ranging from family relationships, friendships at school, social environments, and activities in organizations. In addition, intense exposure to social media can also trigger psychological pressure on children.
According to her, social media often displays lifestyles that create a gap between the reality of children’s lives and the images of life they see online. This condition can trigger feelings of unluckiness, low self esteem, and a decline in children’s self confidence.
“If this condition persists without parental supervision and good communication within the family, it can trigger anxiety, restlessness, and even self hatred,” said Prof Dwi.
She emphasized the importance of closeness between parents, especially mothers, and children in order to build trust. With trust, children will be more open in expressing their sadness, anxiety, and difficulties so that they can be detected early.
Apart from family, teachers and friends at school also have a role in preventing suicidal behavior. According to her, signs of deviant behavior in children need to be conveyed wisely to parents without embarrassing or demeaning the child’s self esteem.
She also emphasized the importance of building a culture of mutual respect at school so that students can support each other when facing problems. The value of mutual cooperation, she said, needs to be strengthened in the educational environment.
Prof Dwi believes that preventing child suicide requires the involvement of the entire community ecosystem. “It takes collective concern because raising children requires environmental support,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of strengthening family education and parenting programs so that parents can optimally carry out their parenting roles. In addition, parents need to monitor their children’s access to social media, limit internet use, and encourage physical activity, sports, and healthy lifestyles.
“Children also need to be taught to understand social realities in society, including seeing the conditions of disadvantaged groups. This can foster strong empathy and help build a more resilient character in children,” she concluded. (dh) (IAAS/DAM)
