Psychache, Hopelessness, and Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study from China

Ching Sin Siau (), E. David Klonsky, Kairi Kõlves (), Jenny Mei Yiu Huen (), Caryn Mei Hsien Chan, Muhamad Nur Fariduddin, Norhayati Ibrahim, Yee Kee Tan, Cunxian Jia, Jie Zhang and Bob Lew
Additional contact information
Ching Sin Siau: Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
E. David Klonsky: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Kairi Kõlves: Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, QLD 4222, Australia
Jenny Mei Yiu Huen: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Caryn Mei Hsien Chan: Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Muhamad Nur Fariduddin: Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam 42300, Malaysia
Norhayati Ibrahim: Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-Care), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Yee Kee Tan: Centre for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Cunxian Jia: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Jie Zhang: School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
Bob Lew: Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, QLD 4222, Australia

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-10

Abstract: This study explored the relationship between variables emphasized in the theory’s first step of the three-step theory (3ST)—psychache, hopelessness, and their interaction—to suicide-related variables (i.e., lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt, past-year suicidal ideation, communication of suicidal thoughts, and self-reported future suicide attempt likelihood). Chinese undergraduate students ( N = 11,399; mean age = 20.69 ± 1.35) from seven provinces participated in this cross-sectional survey. They answered the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Psychache Scale, and Beck Hopelessness Scale. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the association between psychache, hopelessness, and hopelessness × psychache interaction on the outcome variables. Bivariate analyses showed that psychache and hopelessness were correlated with suicidal ideation and behaviors. In multiple regression models, the interaction between psychache and hopelessness was significantly associated with past-year suicidal ideation and self-report chances of a future suicide attempt, p < 0.001, though effect sizes for the interaction term were small. The results are broadly consistent with the 3ST’s proposition of how the combination of pain and hopelessness is related to various suicide-related variables. The low prevalence of suicide-related communication should inform future suicide prevention measures by encouraging help-seeking. Psychache as a correlate of the self-reported likelihood of a future attempt could be further investigated.

Keywords: three-step theory; suicidal ideation; hopelessness; psychache; college students; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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