A Network Analysis of Gendered Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Ideation: Evidence from a University Student Sample

Suicidal ideation has different risk and protective factors, which might vary by gender – but these have been mostly studied in isolation. The present study examines the relationship between social support, childhood trauma, lifetime adversity, perceived discrimination and suicidal ideation among a non-clinical sample of university students in the Netherlands. Regularized partial correlation networks were estimated, and a Network Comparison Test (NCT) was conducted to explore if the overall network structure differed by gender. In women’s network, lifetime adversity showed a positive, direct association with suicidal ideation, while social support demonstrated a negative one. In men’s network, childhood trauma appeared to have a positive, direct relationship with suicidal ideation. Initial results indicated some gender differences; e.g. in the network visualisations, the direct, negative edge between social support and suicidal ideation was only apparent in women’s network. However,...Show moreSuicidal ideation has different risk and protective factors, which might vary by gender – but these have been mostly studied in isolation. The present study examines the relationship between social support, childhood trauma, lifetime adversity, perceived discrimination and suicidal ideation among a non-clinical sample of university students in the Netherlands. Regularized partial correlation networks were estimated, and a Network Comparison Test (NCT) was conducted to explore if the overall network structure differed by gender. In women’s network, lifetime adversity showed a positive, direct association with suicidal ideation, while social support demonstrated a negative one. In men’s network, childhood trauma appeared to have a positive, direct relationship with suicidal ideation. Initial results indicated some gender differences; e.g. in the network visualisations, the direct, negative edge between social support and suicidal ideation was only apparent in women’s network. However, the NCT did not detect statistically significant differences in overall network structure between genders, indicating that gender-specific findings should be cautiously approached and seen as hypothesis-generating. Given the gender imbalance of the cross-sectional sample in the current study, further research using a balanced, longitudinal sample is needed. Such research may then help identify the high-risk groups and support the development of more gender-sensitive, targeted suicide prevention strategies.Show less

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A Network Analysis of Gendered Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Ideation: Evidence from a University Student Sample