Journal Article

Meaning in life as a protective factor against suicidal tendencies in Chinese University students

Lew, Bob, Chistopolskaya, Ksenia, Abu Talib, Mansor, Leung, Angel Nga Man, Huen, Jenny Mei Yiu, Osman, Augustine

2020

Overview

Background A substantial increase in rates of suicide worldwide, especially among late adolescents and young adults, has been observed. It is important to identify specific risk and protective factors for suicide-related behaviors among late adolescents and young adults. Identifying specific factors across the masses, not only in the Western, but also in the Asian context, helps researchers develop empirically informed intervention methods for the management of protective and risk factors of suicide. Methods In the current study, 2074 students (706 males), filled out the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, with subscales of Search for Meaning (MLQ-S) and Presence of Meaning (MLQ-P); the Future Disposition Inventory-24 (FDI-24), with subscales of Positive Focus (PF), Suicide Orientation (SO), and Negative Focus (NF); and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). These scales measure protective and risk factors that are linked to suicidal behaviors; while suicidal behaviors were measured by the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Mediation analyses were performed to test the models with both the MLQ-S and MLQ-P as the mediators between a) hopelessness, as measured by BHS and suicidal behaviors; and b) PF, SO, and NF, as measured by FDI-24, and suicidal behaviors. Results We found that only MLQ-P mediated the relation between hopelessness and suicidal behaviors; while both MLQ-P and MLQ-S mediated PF, SO, and NF (as measured by FDI-24), and suicidal behaviors, respectively. Conclusion Meaning in life, including both the presence of meaning in life and search for meaning, can be good protective factors against suicidal behaviors.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adolescents / Analysis / Asian Continental Ancestry Group - psychology / Causes / China / College students / Coping / Cultural differences / Despair / Drug abuse / FDI-24 / Female / Foreign direct investment / Hopelessness / Humans / Male / Meaning in life / Mediation / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Motivation / Older people / Personal Satisfaction / Personality / Protective factor / Protective Factors / Psychiatry / Psychotherapy / Quality of Life / Research Article / Risk Factors / Students / Students - psychology / Suicidal behavior / Suicidal Ideation / Suicide / Suicide - prevention & control / Suicide - psychology / Suicides & suicide attempts / treatment and prevention of suicide / Universities / University students / Young Adult / Young adults / Youth