Psychological factors of vulnerability to suicide ideation: Attachment styles, coping strategies, and dysfunctional attitudes

Suicide ideation is one of the common mental health problems among university students. This study aimed to explain suicide ideation susceptibility by examining the relationships between psychological factors.

The population of the study included all female undergraduate students at the University of Isfahan in autumn 2018. A sample of 180 individuals were selected through multistage sampling from different faculties and majors. The scales used in this study included adults attachments inventory, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation, Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, and Suicide Ideation Scale. The statistical analyses included t‑test, Pearson correlation, and path analysis.

Suicide ideation was reported in 25% of the participants. The t‑test analysis indicated that the mean scores for dysfunctional attitudes (P < 0.01) and problem‑focused coping (P < 0.01) were significantly different in with and without suicide ideation groups. Suicide ideation significantly correlated with problem‑focused coping (r = −0.42, P < 0.01), emotion‑focused coping (r = 0.25, P < 0.05), and dysfunctional attitudes (r = 0.23, P < 0.05). Path analysis showed that dysfunctional attitudes and emotion‑focused coping significantly influenced suicide ideation. Moreover, the indirect effect of insecure (ambivalent and avoidant) attachment styles by mediating role of dysfunctional attitudes and emotion‑focused coping was statistically significant (P < 0.01) and the indirect effect of dysfunctional attitudes by mediating role of emotion‑focused coping as well (P < 0.05).

Insecure attachment styles and dysfunctional attitudes work as stress–diathesis model in predicting suicide ideation and increase suicide ideation susceptibility by affecting emotion‑focused coping strategy. The hypothesized model in this study can help formulate, evaluate, and prevent suicide risk.