Ethnic Differences in Suicidal Ideation and its Correlates among South Asian American Emerging Adults

Prior research on suicidal ideation and its correlates among South Asian American individuals has been limited. Given that South Asian American individuals are a burgeoning ethnic subgroup in the United States population, research regarding these factors is necessary to inform culturally competent suicide screening, prevention, and intervention among this increasingly prominent group. We examined depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation among a sample of 204 undergraduate South Asian American (96 Bangladeshi American, 67 Asian Indian, and 41 Pakistani American) emerging adult students (66% female), ages 18 to 24 (M = 18.52, SD = 0.93). Participants completed measures of hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Bangladeshi American ethnicity was associated with significantly lower levels of suicidal ideation than Asian Indian ethnicity. There was a non-significant trend for Pakistani American ethnicity to be associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation than Asian Indian ethnicity. Additionally, Bangladeshi American ethnicity and Pakistani American ethnicity each interacted with hopelessness, such that hopelessness was associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation among these groups than among their Asian Indian peers. Being of Asian Indian ethnicity may deleteriously influence vulnerability to suicidal ideation, while being of other South Asian American ethnicities may buffer against suicidal ideation, both independently and in interaction with hopelessness. Such contingencies should be considered during suicide screening, prevention, and intervention.