The Prevalence of and Psychosocial Risks for Suicide Attempts in Male and Female College Students in Taiwan

Abstract

The prevalence of and psychosocial risks for suicide attempts was investigated in college students in Taiwan by gender, after controlling for depressive symptoms. Self-reported data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 2,835 college students; 11.90% of females and 8.87% of males reported they had attempted suicide in the preceding 12 months. After controlling for depression, suicidal ideations were associated with suicide attempts in females, whereas there were fewer positive expectations toward the future associated with suicide attempts in males. Several explanations for the high prevalence of suicide attempts among college students in Taiwan were discussed. In the future, further verification of the findings is necessary.