Recovery from suicidality in youth aged 6 to 25: a review of 50 quantitative and qualitative studies

Abstract Suicide is a leading global cause of death among youth, with suicidality encompassing ideation, self-harm, and suicides. Despite its severity, a third of suicidal and self-harming adolescents recover before adulthood, highlighting the importance of identifying recovery facilitators for effective interventions. This scoping review was aimed to synthesize how recovery from suicidality is defined and experienced by young people aged 0 to 25, and to identify the psychosocial and contextual factors that facilitate or hinder recovery. We conducted a scoping review of 50 qualitative and quantitative studies involving 28,299 participants. Studies were identified in Medline, PsycInfo, SocINDEX, and CINAHL databases. Quality was assessed using CASP and QUIPS tools. We extracted recovery-related themes and categorized them into thirteen thematic domains. Social support, coping skills, and personal acceptance were most endorsed. Recovery was described both as symptom remission and as a personal transformative process involving identity development, emotional regulation, and meaning-making. Recovery was shaped by both internal capacities and external support, including therapeutic relationships, peer connections, and access to identity-affirming or culturally responsive care. Youth emphasized the long-term, personal nature of recovery, extending beyond suicidality to include positive mental health, self-worth, and purpose. Recovery from youth suicidality is multidimensional, and shaped by developmental, relational, and sociocultural contexts. Effective prevention and intervention must go beyond risk reduction to foster protective and promotive factors that empower young people. These findings support the need for more holistic, person-centered approaches to youth mental health and suicidality.