Factors associated with suicidal ideation among Malaysian university students: Dynamics of mental health...

Suicidal ideation is a major public health concern among university students, especially in recent years. Guided by Beck's cognitive model of suicidal behaviour and the dual-factor model of mental health, this study examined the association between mental health vulnerabilities (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress and pessimism), protective resources (i.e., social support and optimism) and suicidal ideation among Malaysian university students.

Data were collected in 2023 using a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 547 university students aged 18 to 24 years old (M = 21.23, SD = 1.82) completed the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Revised Life Orientation Test, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine relationships among the study variables, while binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the presence of suicidal ideation. The SIDAS score was dichotomised as 0= no suicidal ideation and > 0 as the presence of any suicidal ideation.

Nearly half of the participants reported some degree of suicidal ideation. Correlation analyses showed that depression, anxiety, stress, and pessimism were positively correlated with suicidal ideation, while optimism and social support were negatively correlated with suicidal ideation. In the logistic regression model, pessimism, depression, anxiety and social support remained significant factors associated with suicidal ideation.

The findings suggest that suicidal ideation among Malaysian university students is associated with both psychological vulnerabilities and interpersonal resources. Interventions should not focus solely on reducing psychological distress but should also address pessimistic thinking patterns and strengthen perceived social support. Given the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling approach, the findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal relationships.