Before the pandemic, school holidays provided a protective buffer against suicidal and self-harm behaviours among Victorian adolescents.

New research has shown that’s no longer the case.

Using data from the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS), researchers from Turning Point and Monash Addiction Research Centre analysed 20,635 ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviours among adolescents aged 12 to 17 across Victoria.

While the study found significant reductions in crisis attendances during school holidays before COVID-19, this protective pattern was no longer observed in the years following the pandemic.

What the NASS data shows

"Before COVID-19, ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviours would consistently drop during school holiday periods, particularly among adolescent girls," said lead author and Turning Point Research Fellow Dr Ryan Baldwin.

“The summer holiday period showed a 19 per cent reduction in weekly attendance rates among adolescent girls, with similar patterns during the mid-year and September holidays. Among adolescent boys, there were reductions during all holiday periods.”

Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the study examined ambulance attendance data from 2015 to 2023, excluding the COVID restriction period of 2020–2021. In addition, researchers analysed 36,510 attendances among young adults aged 18–25 as a comparison group.

Adolescent boys consistently had lower ambulance attendance rates than adolescent girls, both before and after the pandemic. The protective effect of school holidays was not observed in young adults, suggesting the seasonal pattern in adolescents was related to school-specific factors.

When researchers examined the post-pandemic period (2022–23), the protective effect of school holidays was no longer present.

Why might this be happening?

Dr Baldwin said the findings suggest that the stressors affecting young people's mental health may have changed since the pandemic, with factors beyond traditional school-related pressures like bullying, academic pressure and interpersonal issues now playing a role.

"These results indicate that the types of pressures adolescents are experiencing may have shifted since the pandemic. The fact that this pattern has disappeared suggests other factors are now playing a more significant role in adolescent distress," Dr Baldwin said.

He suggested several potential explanations:

• Increased home‑based stressors such as job loss, financial uncertainty and social isolation during and after the pandemic.
• Changes in social dynamics, including increased online presence and cyberbullying, may now lead to young people facing stressors year‑round rather than getting respite during school breaks.
• Improved access to youth mental health services during term time, due to recent funding increases in Victoria, may potentially be reducing the contrast between school and holiday periods.

The need to ensure support is available year-round

Dr Baldwin said further research was needed to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these trends, including whether this change is temporary or represents a more permanent shift in adolescent mental health patterns.

"This research shows that we can't assume the protective factors that worked before will continue to work in the same way. We need to be responsive to how young people's experiences are changing and ensure our mental health supports adapt accordingly," Dr Baldwin said.

"Understanding these changes is crucial for informing prevention and early intervention strategies for adolescent mental health. We need to ensure support services are available to young people not just during the school term, but year-round," Dr Baldwin said.

If this story has raised issues for you, please contact Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36, LifeLine: 13 11 14, 13YARN: 13 92 76, the Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015.

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