What type of study is this?

This is a Cohort Study study (also classified as: Quasi-Experimental).

December 1, 2025Open Access

Determining the longitudinal associations between suicidal ideation and biopsychosocial factors in early to mid-adolescence: a prospective cohort study

Key Points

Increased suicidal ideation is significantly associated with poor sleep and socioeconomic disadvantage in adolescents.
The study measured self-reported suicidal ideation and lifestyle factors in 159 Australian participants longitudinally over five years.
This longitudinal study utilized structured self-report questionnaires to assess important psychological and social factors.
These findings support the need for targeted interventions addressing sleep and socioeconomic factors to reduce adolescent suicidality.

Abstract

Objectives To determine whether a biopsychosocial model of suicidality, specifically sleep, nutrition, physical exercise, mindfulness, social connectedness, lower socioeconomic status (SES) and sex are uniquely associated with increased suicidal ideation, longitudinally over adolescence. Design Longitudinal, prospective cohort study. Setting A structured self-report questionnaire was collected as part of the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Thompson Institute (Queensland, Australia) from July 2018 to January 2024. Participants 159 Australian adolescents (n=91 female; 68 male) aged 12 to 17 years. Outcome measures Self-reported suicidal ideation was measured longitudinally. Data were also collected on self-reported lifestyle factors (sleep, nutrition, physical exercise, mindfulness and social connectedness), psychological distress, SES and sex. All measures were collected at 4-monthly intervals for each participant for up to 5 years (maximum of 15 time points). Results Significant relationships were identified between increased suicidal ideation and poor sleep (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.6, p=0.002), socioeconomic disadvantage (SES quintile 1: OR 6.3, 95% CI, 1.8 to 21.8, p=0.004; SES quintile 2: OR 8.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 56.2, p=0.022), psychological distress (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.1 to 15.6, p≤0.001) and eating habits (β −0.08, 95% CI −0.2 to −0.0). Conclusions Poor sleep, socioeconomic disadvantage, psychological distress and eating habits were all found to be significantly associated with increased adolescent suicidal ideation over time. These biopsychosocial factors should be considered in targeted interventions and policies for reducing adolescent suicidality. Further research should employ multilevel modelling to examine factor interactions and rigorously evaluate interventions targeting lifestyle factors and socioeconomic inequalities through randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs.

Determining the longitudinal associations between suicidal ideation and biopsychosocial factors in early to mid-adolescence: a prospective cohort study

Key Points

Abstract

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider