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Problem-Solving Skills and Suicidal Ideation Among Malaysian College Students: the Mediating Role of Hopelessness

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Abstract

Objective

Recent evidence suggests that suicidal ideation has increased among Malaysian college students over the past two decades; therefore, it is essential to increase our knowledge concerning the etiology of suicidal ideation among Malaysian college students. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between problem-solving skills, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation among Malaysian college students.

Methods

The participants included 500 undergraduate students from two Malaysian public universities who completed the self-report questionnaires.

Results

Structural equation modeling estimated that college students with poor problem-solving confidence, external personal control of emotion, and avoiding style were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Hopelessness partially mediated the relationship between problem-solving skills and suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

These findings reinforce the importance of poor problem-solving skills and hopelessness as risk factors for suicidal ideation among college students.

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Disclosures

The authors have no conflicts to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Abbas Abdollahi, Mansor Abu Talib, Siti Nor Yaacob & Zanariah Ismail

Authors
  1. Abbas Abdollahi
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  2. Mansor Abu Talib
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  3. Siti Nor Yaacob
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  4. Zanariah Ismail
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Correspondence to Abbas Abdollahi.

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Abdollahi, A., Talib, M.A., Yaacob, S.N. et al. Problem-Solving Skills and Suicidal Ideation Among Malaysian College Students: the Mediating Role of Hopelessness. Acad Psychiatry 40, 261–267 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0383-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-015-0383-0

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