Problem-solving skills and suicidal ideation among Malaysian college students: the mediating role of hopelessness

• Main Authors: Abdollahi, Abbas, Abu Talib, Mansor, Yaacob, Siti Nor, Ismail, Zanariah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2016
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/43329/1/Problem-solving%20skills%20and%20suicidal%20ideation%20among%20Malaysian%20college%20students%20the%20mediating%20role%20of%20hopelessness.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/43329/; http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40596-015-0383-0

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.