Abstract
Relations among academic stress, depression, and suicidal ideation were examined in 1,108 Asian adolescents 12–18 years old from a secondary school in Singapore. Using Baron and Kenny’s [J Pers Soc Psychol 51:1173–1192, 1986] framework, this study tested the prediction that adolescent depression mediated the relationship between academic stress and suicidal ideation in a four-step process. The previously significant relationship between academic stress and suicidal ideation was significantly reduced in magnitude when depression was included in the model providing evidence in this sample that adolescent depression was a partial mediator. The applied and practical implications for intervention and prevention work in schools are discussed. The present investigation also served as a demonstration to illustrate how multiple regression analyses can be used as one possible method for testing mediation effects within child psychology and psychiatry.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
United Nations (1996) Prevention of suicide: guidelines for the formulation and implementation of national strategies (Document No. ST/ESA/245). United Nations Dept for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, New York, NY
Chia BH (1999) Too young to die: an Asian perspective on youth suicide. Times Books International, Singapore
Ung EK (2003) Youth suicide and parasuicide in Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore 32:1–7
Ayyash-Abdo H (2002) Adolescent suicide: an ecological approach. Psychol Schools 39:459–475
Lewinsohn PM, Rohde P, Seeley JR (1993) Psychosocial characteristics of adolescents with a history of suicide attempt. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 32:60–68
Nelson RE, Crawford B (1990) Suicide among elementary school-aged children. Elemen School Guidance Counsel 25:123–128
Toero K, Nagy A, Sawaguchi T, Sawaguchi A, Sotonyi P (2001) Characteristics of suicide among children and adolescents in Budapest. Pediatr Int 43:368–371
Gloria AM, Ho TA (2003) Environmental, social, and psychological experiences of Asian-American undergraduates: examining issues of academic persistence. J Counsel Dev 81:93–106
Sue S, Okazaki S (1990) Asian-American educational achievements: a phenomenon in search of an explanation. Am Psychol 45:913–920
Yeh CJ, Huang K (1996) The collectivistic nature of ethnic identity development among Asian-American college students. Adolescence 31:645–662
Juon H, Nam JJ, Ensminger ME (1994) Epidemiology of suicidal behavior among Korean adolescents. J Child Psychol Psychiatr Allied Disciplin 35:663–677
Ho BKW, Hong C, Kua EH (1999) Suicidal behavior among young people in Singapore. Gen Hosp Psychiatr 21:128–133
Fauber R, Forehand R, Long N, Burke M, Faust J (1987) The relationship of young adolescent Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) scores to their social and cognitive functioning. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 9:161–172
Kellam SG, Brown CH, Rubin BR, Ensminger ME (1983) Paths leading to teenage psychiatric symptoms and substance use: developmental epidemiological studies in Woodlawn. In: Guze SB, Earls FJ, Barrett JE (Eds.) Childhood psychopathology and development. Raven Press, New York, NY
Hilsman R, Garber J (1995) A test of cognitive diathesis-stress model of depression in children: academic stressors, attributional style, perceived competence, and control. J Pers Soc Psychol 69:370–380
Kaslow NJ, Rehm LP, Siegel AW (1984) Social-cognitive and cognitive correlates of depression in children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 12:605–620
Chen XY, Rubin KH, Li BS (1995) Depressed mood in Chinese children: relations with school performance and family environment. J Consult Clin Psychol 63:938–947
Cole DA (1991) Preliminary support for a competency-based model of depression in children. J Abnorm Psychol 100:181–190
Brand EF, King CA, Olson E, Ghaziuddin N, Naylor M (1996) Depressed adolescents with a history of sexual abuse: diagnostic comorbidity and suicidality. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 35:34–41
Brent DA, Baugher M, Bridge J, Chen T, Chiapptta L (1999) Age- and sex-related risk factors for adolescent suicide. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 38:1497–1505
De Man AF (1999) Correlates of suicide ideation in high school students: the importance of depression. J Genet Psychol 160:105–114
Baron RM, Kenny DA (1986) The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol 51:1173–1192
Stewart SM, Lam TH, Betson C, Chung SF (1999) Suicide ideation and its relationship to depressed mood in a community sample of adolescents in Hong Kong. Suicide Life-Threat Behav 29:227–240
Ang RP, Huan VS (2006) Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI): development, factor analysis, reliability and validity. Educ Psychol Meas 66:522–539
Kovacs M (1992) Children’s depression inventory. Multi-Health Systems, North Tonawanda, NY
Reynolds WM (1988) Suicidal ideation questionnaire professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc, Lutz, FL
Holmbeck GN (1997) Toward terminological, conceptual, and statistical clarity in the study of mediators and moderators: examples from the child clinical and pediatric psychology literatures. J Consult Clin Psychol 65:599–610
Frazier PA, Tix AP, Barron KE (2004) Testing moderator and mediator effects in counseling psychology research. J Counsel Psychol 51:115–134
Shrout PE, Bolger N (2002) Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: new procedures and recommendations. Psychol Meth 7:422–445
MacKinnon DP, Warsi G, Dwyer JH (1995) A simulation study of mediated effect measures. Multivariate Behav Res 30:41–62
Chiles JA, Strosahl KD, Ping ZY, Michael MC, Jemelka R, Senn B, Reto C (1989) Depression, hopelessness and suicidal behavior in Chinese and American psychiatric patients. Am J Psychiatr 146:339–344
Bank B, Dishion T, Skinner ML, Patterson GR (1990) Method variance in structural equation modeling: living with “Glop”. In: Patterson G (Ed.) Depression and aggression in family interaction. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ
Kenny DA, Kashy DA (1992) Analysis of the multitrait-multimethod matrix by confirmatory factor analysis. Psychol Bull 112:165–172
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ang, R.P., Huan, V.S. Relationship between Academic Stress and Suicidal Ideation: Testing for Depression as a Mediator Using Multiple Regression. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 37, 133–143 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-006-0023-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-006-0023-8