Mediating Roles of Burdensomeness and Belongingness in the Link Between Social Support and Suicidal Behaviours among University Students

Suicide is a major health crisis worldwide, and the highest rates of suicidal ideation occur between 16 and 34 years old. However, there is a lack of research on suicidal behaviours among the Canadian university student population. To fill in this gap, this study aims to investigate the relationship between social support (SS) and suicidal behaviours (suicidal ideation and suicide attempts) among university students as well as the mediating effects of perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB). A total of 496 undergraduate students, recruited through Carleton University’s SONA system, responded to an online survey (Mage = 20, 67% female). Path analysis based on structural equation modelling was conducted to examine the mediation effects of PB and TB. Results showed that PB completely mediated the relationship between SS and suicidal behaviours, while TB only mediated SS and a binary suicidal ideation (presence vs. absence of suicidal ideation). The cultural factor did not moderate the relationship between social support and risk factors (PB and TB).