Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction Suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15–29, with college students being particularly at risk. While suicidal ideation, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and psychological distress are well-known risk factors for suicide, emotional reactivity and academic satisfaction are less understood. Understanding the interaction between these factors is essential for enhancing suicide prevention. Objective Identify the strongest predictors of suicide risk among college students and evaluate the mediating roles of psychological distress and academic satisfaction in the association between emotional reactivity and suicide risk. Method Two hundred and ninety-four college students (85.4% female) aged 17–29 years were recruited through institutional email, social media, and a university crediting system. Participants completed self-report questionnaires. Results Almost 17% of students were at suicide risk. Depressive symptoms (β =.575) and lifetime engagement in NSSI (β = .175) emerged as the strongest predictors. Psychological distress and academic satisfaction emerged as significant mediators of the relationship between emotional reactivity and suicide risk – these mediation models explained 44.7% and 34.4% variability in suicide risk, respectively. Conclusions Understanding risk and protective factors can improve suicide prevention among college students. Academic satisfaction may be a promising target for future research.
Published Version
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