Identifying suicide risk among college students: A systematic review

Death Stud. 2020;44(7):450-458. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2019.1578305. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Abstract

Mental health research highlights the need to focus on suicide risk in college students. However, evidence for associated risk and protective factors in this cohort is mixed. This review synthesizes data from 29 independent studies (N = 11,557 participants). Self-reported depression, cumulative stressful life events, sleep difficulties, a disconnection from others, and a sense of hopelessness demonstrated significant associations with heightened suicide risk. Reasons to live and hope provided significant protective effects. The findings highlight key intervention targets, pointing to the importance of cognitive-behavioral interventions to ameliorate suicidal thoughts but also build dispositional hope and goal-directed thinking.

Keywords: College; mental health; suicide.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Hope*
  • Humans
  • Loneliness / psychology*
  • Risk Assessment*
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / epidemiology
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / psychology*
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Students / statistics & numerical data
  • Universities