Psychosocial and Contextual Stressors in Suicidal Ideation Among University Students With Lived Experience of Suicidal Thoughts or Attempts at a Mexican Border University: A Qualitative Study

Introduction Suicidal behaviour among university students is shaped by interacting psychological, relational, cultural, and contextual stressors. However, limited research has examined how family expectations, economic strain, academic disruption, environmental insecurity, and barriers to culturally appropriate mental-health support shape suicidal ideation among students in Mexican border-region contexts. Therefore, this study explored psychosocial and contextual stressors associated with suicidal ideation among university students with lived experience of suicidal thoughts or attempts at a Mexican border university. Methods This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to explore the lived experiences of nine university students at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ), Mexico, who reported prior suicidal ideation or suicide attempts. Participants included five men and four women aged 18–30 years ( M = 25.22, SD = 4.66). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti 24. Results Three major themes were identified: psychological pain, social disconnection, and contextual burdens. Psychological pain reflected familial emotional burdens, perceived burdensomeness, unresolved grief, and exposure to suicide within close relationships. Social disconnection involved limited empathetic support from family, peers, and teachers, as well as invalidating responses to help-seeking. Contextual burdens included study–life imbalance, pandemic and environmental disruptions, and culturally misaligned responses to mental-health concerns. Conclusion Suicidal ideation among participants was not described as an isolated individual problem, but as an experience shaped by emotional pain, weakened belongingness, family pressures, academic demands, cultural silencing, and structural stressors. Findings support the need for university-based suicide prevention strategies that combine early identification, culturally responsive support, family-sensitive psychoeducation, and accessible mental-health services.