A Tasmanian coroner is investigating the suicides of six young people to try to prevent further deaths.
Aged between 14 and 17 years old, the girls and boys died between 2010 and 2014.
Some were known to each other and attended the same school, coroner Olivia McTaggart was told during Wednesday's opening of the six-day inquest in Hobart.
For legal reasons the names and specific ages of the teenagers cannot be made public.
There are common factors in the lives of each of the young people, counsel assisting the inquest Garth Stevens said.
"In most cases there is no single cause or no single event that is to blame," he said.
Common factors include: mental health problems, alcohol and drug abuse, physical and sexual abuse, parents with mental illness, a history of self-harm and problems with the law.
"In the case of these young people almost without exception those issues will have arisen," Mr Stevens said.
Some of the young people went into state care, lived on the streets, or joined foster homes, the inquest was told.
"Critical aspects of their lives and deaths will be examined ... to determine how similar deaths might be prevented," Ms McTaggart said.
The inquest will also look at the effect of media reporting of suicides.
"There is great concern about the effect of media reporting and the link to subsequent deaths," Mr Stevens said.
The inquest will hear evidence about each of the young people.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
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