Mapping Pathways to Suicide Risk in Young Adults: Quarter-Life Crisis and NEET Experiences

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among people aged 15–29 worldwide. For many young people, suicidal thoughts and behaviours develop during the transition into adulthood, a period that is often associated with important decisions about education, work, relationships, housing and identity. Increasingly, these transitions are becoming longer, less predictable and more difficult to navigate. Some young people feel unable to move into the adult roles they want, while others feel trapped in commitments or circumstances that no longer suit them. These experiences are often described as the “locked-out” and “locked-in” forms of quarter-life crisis. They may contribute to feelings of defeat, entrapment, hopelessness, loneliness and a lack of belonging. Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) may face similar challenges, including loss of routine, financial insecurity, social isolation and reduced contact with support services. However, NEET is a broad category that includes people with very different experiences, and more research is needed to understand which circumstances are linked to suicide risk. The connections between NEET experiences, quarter-life crisis and suicide have not yet been studied together in a systematic way.

This Research Topic aims to improve understanding of how these blocked transitions contribute to suicidal thoughts and behaviours among people aged approximately 18–35 years. We are interested in research exploring how experiences such as defeat, feeling trapped, hopelessness, loneliness and perceived burdensomeness develop, and whether these experiences differ between young people who feel locked out of adult roles and those who feel locked in them. We also welcome studies examining whether social and economic exclusion leads to psychological distress, whether distress makes it harder to access education or employment, or whether both processes occur together. Research that compares established suicide theories, including the Integrated Motivational-Volitional Model, the Three-Step Theory, the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, Strain Theory and Fluid Vulnerability Theory, is encouraged. A key aim is to identify practical ways for public mental health services and prevention programmes to reach young people who may be disconnected from education, employment and traditional support systems.

This Research Topic will focus on young adults facing difficult transitions, social exclusion or uncertainty about their future. We welcome research from different countries and using a range of methods, provided that it has clear relevance to public mental health, suicide prevention or service development. Suitable themes include, but are not limited to:

-Links between quarter-life crisis, NEET experiences and suicidal thoughts or behaviours
-Differences between locked-out and locked-in forms of quarter-life crisis
-The experiences of discouraged jobseekers, unpaid carers and young people excluded because of illness or disability
-The effects of long-term or repeated periods of being NEET
-The relationship between unemployment, precarious work, poverty, housing insecurity and suicide risk
-Feelings of defeat, entrapment, hopelessness, loneliness, burdensomeness and lack of belonging
-The role of social comparison and pressure to meet expected milestones in life
-Cultural differences in how young people experience family expectations, responsibility and entrapment
-Protective factors such as meaning in life, psychological flexibility, social support and hope for the future
-Career, identity, counselling and acceptance-based interventions for young adults
-Support provided when young people leave school, university or other forms of education
-Re-engagement, training, employment and youth-guarantee programmes
-Public mental health approaches for identifying and supporting young people who are not connected to education, employment or healthcare services

By connecting psychological, social and structural evidence, this Research Topic seeks to generate practical insights for identifying young people at risk of exclusion and to strengthen suicide prevention during the transition to adulthood.