Although Japan has made some progress in reducing the national rate of suicide, a new report from the Cabinet Office provides a clearer understanding of some of the causes for child suicide. The government's study found a sharp increase in suicides for kids aged 18 and under during two periods of the year — the end of August to early September and in early April. Those two periods coincide with the end of school breaks and the beginning of school terms.
The survey also found that relatively few children committed suicide from late July to mid-August during the summer vacation, and that suicide rates were also lower in the March vacation time. Those findings seem to make a strong case for the connection between problems at school and suicidal feelings. School, and everything it stands for, can push some students toward depression, which can lead to self-destructive feelings. Depression, which is linked to suicide, may subside during vacation, only to re-emerge at the thought of returning to school.
The study indicates that increased vigilance about children is needed at these susceptible periods. Parents should be especially attentive to children's moods and actions when the restart of school approaches. Parents need to be open to listening to students and taking time to hear what they have to say, rather than cranking up the expectations for academic success. Learning how to talk and listen to children during their vacation times is a difficult parenting skill, but one that is extremely important.