Suicidal thoughts in young people: Their frequency and relationships with personality factors

Mary E. Stewart; Claire Donaghey; Ian J. Deary; Klaus P. Ebmeier

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.018

Suicidal thoughts in young people: Their frequency and relationships with personality factors

Mary E. Stewart^*, Claire Donaghey, Ian J. Deary, Klaus P. Ebmeier

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young people. This study aims to identify factors associated with suicidal thinking in young people. Levels of suicidal thinking in a large student population (n = 1039) were assessed using the GHQ-28; regression analysis identified personality (trait) and mood (state) correlates of suicidal thoughts. All volunteers were recruited from Universities in Edinburgh.

Over 10% of students stated that they had suicidal thoughts within the last few weeks. Men scored slightly higher than women on suicidal thoughts. Variables relating to emotionality were the largest predictors of suicidal thoughts.

Gender differences have also been reported in the relationship between self-rated mental health and suicide rates: males who had scored highly on the GHQ-28 had a higher suicide risk than females. Longitudinal studies in both men and women that assess personality predictors of self-harm and suicides are needed to control for confounders in non-randomised studies of suicide risk.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	809-820
Number of pages	12
Journal	Personality and Individual Differences
Volume	44
Issue number	4
Early online date	3 Dec 2007
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.018
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2008
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Anxiety
Mood
Personality
Suicidal thoughts
Young people

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10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.018

Cite this

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title = "Suicidal thoughts in young people: Their frequency and relationships with personality factors",

abstract = "Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young people. This study aims to identify factors associated with suicidal thinking in young people. Levels of suicidal thinking in a large student population (n = 1039) were assessed using the GHQ-28; regression analysis identified personality (trait) and mood (state) correlates of suicidal thoughts. All volunteers were recruited from Universities in Edinburgh. Over 10\% of students stated that they had suicidal thoughts within the last few weeks. Men scored slightly higher than women on suicidal thoughts. Variables relating to emotionality were the largest predictors of suicidal thoughts. Gender differences have also been reported in the relationship between self-rated mental health and suicide rates: males who had scored highly on the GHQ-28 had a higher suicide risk than females. Longitudinal studies in both men and women that assess personality predictors of self-harm and suicides are needed to control for confounders in non-randomised studies of suicide risk.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Mood, Personality, Suicidal thoughts, Young people",

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T1 - Suicidal thoughts in young people: Their frequency and relationships with personality factors

AU - Stewart, Mary E.

AU - Donaghey, Claire

AU - Deary, Ian J.

AU - Ebmeier, Klaus P.

PY - 2008/3/1

Y1 - 2008/3/1

N2 - Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young people. This study aims to identify factors associated with suicidal thinking in young people. Levels of suicidal thinking in a large student population (n = 1039) were assessed using the GHQ-28; regression analysis identified personality (trait) and mood (state) correlates of suicidal thoughts. All volunteers were recruited from Universities in Edinburgh. Over 10% of students stated that they had suicidal thoughts within the last few weeks. Men scored slightly higher than women on suicidal thoughts. Variables relating to emotionality were the largest predictors of suicidal thoughts. Gender differences have also been reported in the relationship between self-rated mental health and suicide rates: males who had scored highly on the GHQ-28 had a higher suicide risk than females. Longitudinal studies in both men and women that assess personality predictors of self-harm and suicides are needed to control for confounders in non-randomised studies of suicide risk.

AB - Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young people. This study aims to identify factors associated with suicidal thinking in young people. Levels of suicidal thinking in a large student population (n = 1039) were assessed using the GHQ-28; regression analysis identified personality (trait) and mood (state) correlates of suicidal thoughts. All volunteers were recruited from Universities in Edinburgh. Over 10% of students stated that they had suicidal thoughts within the last few weeks. Men scored slightly higher than women on suicidal thoughts. Variables relating to emotionality were the largest predictors of suicidal thoughts. Gender differences have also been reported in the relationship between self-rated mental health and suicide rates: males who had scored highly on the GHQ-28 had a higher suicide risk than females. Longitudinal studies in both men and women that assess personality predictors of self-harm and suicides are needed to control for confounders in non-randomised studies of suicide risk.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Mood

KW - Personality

KW - Suicidal thoughts

KW - Young people

U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.018

DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2007.10.018

M3 - Article

SN - 0191-8869

VL - 44

SP - 809

EP - 820

JO - Personality and Individual Differences

JF - Personality and Individual Differences

IS - 4

ER -

Suicidal thoughts in young people: Their frequency and relationships with personality factors

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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