Suicidal ideation in adolescents: the role of personal and school variables

In recent years, suicidal ideation has gained relevance, not only because it involves thoughts that precede suicidal behavior and attempts, but also due to its high prevalence among adolescents. However, knowledge about the social and personal factors involved in this issue remains limited. ObjectiveTherefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the possible social factors (school climate, cybervictimisation, and cyberbullying) and personal factors (psychological inflexibility and Basic Psychological Needs -BPN-) that act as predictors of suicidal ideation in adolescents, also considering gender differences.MethodThe sample consisted of 2,977 Spanish adolescents (51.5% girls) aged between 11 and 17 years old (M = 14.1, SD = 1.42).ResultsThe results indicated that, overall, the variables examined at their respective levels were associated with an increased probability of suicidal ideation, with the exception of high levels of cyberbullying, which were associated with a reduction in this probability. Furthermore, both the school environment and satisfaction with BPN were associated with a decreased probability of suicidal ideation, with the latter showing the most pronounced effect. Additionally, it was observed that gender serves as a significant predictor in estimating the probability of this variable's manifestation.ConclusionsThis study highlights the need to implement educational initiatives, focusing particularly on the school environment, and aimed at parents and caregivers to identify risk factors related to suicidal ideation in adolescents.