Shame and Suicidal Ideation among Undergraduates in China: The Mediating Effect of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness.

Jingjing Zhao,Xinglai Liu,Xiyao Liu,Ching Sin Siau,Yanna Chi,Bob Lew,Cunxian Jia,Jingjing Wang,Yanli Ju

doi:10.3390/ijerph17072360

Abstract

Undergraduate students with shame are more likely to experience suicidal ideation, but there remains a lack of research investigating the factors underlying this relationship. The interpersonal theory of suicide posits that suicidal ideation is influenced by the simultaneous presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. We examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation among undergraduate students in China and examined the association between shame and suicidal ideation mediated by perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. A survey was conducted in July 2018 involving 2320 undergraduate students, and the twelve-month prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.95%. Shame played a crucial role in predicting suicidal ideation, and the mediating effects of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness between shame and suicidal ideation were significant. Suicidal ideation is common among undergraduate students in China and merits greater attention. Shame, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness may be important factors to assess among undergraduate students in suicide risk assessment and psychological intervention.

Highlights

Suicide is an important global public health problem and the second leading cause of death in young people aged 15–29 years worldwide [1,2,3]
The results showed that shame was positively correlated with thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation
The results showed that the individuals who were females, majored in liberal arts (OR = 1.74, p < 0.05), and had high levels of shame (OR = 1.02, p < 0.001), thwarted belongingness (OR = 1.02, p < 0.05), and perceived burdensomeness (OR = 1.07, p < 0.001) were statistically and positively associated with suicidal ideation

Summary

Introduction

Suicide is an important global public health problem and the second leading cause of death in young people aged 15–29 years worldwide [1,2,3]. Suicidal ideation, defined as thoughts of self-harming or killing oneself [6], is an important indicator in the assessment of suicide risk [7]. A majority of whom are within the 17–25-year-old age bracket, could be affected by adaptation to college life, self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and career development. In the worldwide, they are a specific group who report high levels of suicidal ideation, planning, Int. J. Public Health 2020, 17, 2360; doi:10.3390/ijerph17072360 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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