Methods in Reddit-Based Suicide Research: A Scoping Study

As Reddit becomes an increasingly popular data source for suicide-relevant research, a clear understanding of current methods is needed. This scoping review maps the methodological landscape of suicide-relevant research using Reddit data by systematically characterizing study designs, data characteristics, analytic approaches, and research foci reported across the literature. A scoping review was conducted using the search terms “r/SuicideWatch”, “Reddit”, and “suicid*” in PubMed®, Embase®, PsycInfo®, and PsycNet®. Eligible studies utilized Reddit data to generate suicide-relevant insights. Studies utilizing Reddit solely for recruitment or computational development were excluded. Data extraction captured study characteristics, data characteristics, and analytic approaches. A total of 32 studies were included. The field is characterized by substantial heterogeneity in methodological approaches, reporting practices, and disciplinary representation, which included computing (n=14; 44%), behavioral sciences (n=9; 28%) and adjacent disciplines (n=9; 28%). r/SuicideWatch (n=17; 53%) was the most frequent focus. Posts were the predominant unit of analysis (n=24; 75%). Sample sizes ranged from 37 to 6.6 million posts. Computational approaches were most prevalent (n=24; 75%). Most studies were suicide-risk oriented (n=22; 69%), while protective factors (n=3; 9%) were less studied. Data spanned 17 years (2006-2023). Most studies (n=8; 33%) covered a year or less of data. Suicide-relevant Reddit research is methodologically diverse with variable reporting practices. As digital platforms and methodological practices continue to rapidly evolve in parallel, greater transparency, standardization, and integration are vital to the comparability, interpretability, and replicability needed to advance scientific progress in this field.