Psychological predictors of suicide risk in university students

This work shows the risk factors and psychological predictors associated with suicidal behavior in university students in Manizales and Medellín (Colombia). The sample comprised 1408 students. Plutchik’s suicide risk, Beck’s despair and depression and Barratt impulsivity scales were used. A suicide risk factor of 23.2% was found. Binary regression analysis shows that depression (OR= 1.2), impulsivity (OR= 1.04), hopelessness (OR= 1.1), suicide attempt (OR= 31.5), mental illness and family suicide attempt (OR= 2.2, OR= 2.1) explain between 41% and 62% of the variance of suicide risk. Through a structural equation modeling analysis, three explanatory models were established that show mental illness and suicide attempt in the family (model 1), impulsivity (model 2), and a history of suicide attempt by the student (model 3) are suicide mediating variables. The greatest total effect occurred in model 3, which explains 62.7% of the variation in suicide risk.