The association between supportive teacher-student relationships and student’s suicidal ideation and behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Suicidality is a serious concern among school-aged children and adolescents worldwide. School can be an important environment in which supportive relationships mitigate students’ suicidal ideation and attempts. The aim of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the association between supportive teacher-student relationships and school students’ suicidal ideation and behaviors. The systematic review was preregistered (PROSPERO CRD42024616199). 1216 articles were identified when search terms were entered in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ERIC in November 2024, filtering for English language articles. For inclusion, articles needed to report on empirical data that allowed for meta-analytic calculations. Articles were excluded if they reported only on non-suicidal self-harm/injury, as well as qualitative, (quasi)experimental, prevention, and intervention studies. Furthermore, studies only reporting on the negative aspects of teacher-student relationships, combined sources of supportive relationships, and teacher’s relationships and/or interactions with entire class were excluded. Study quality was independently assessed by two reviewers using the NHLBI Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Sensitivity analyses were conducted excluding studies rated as low quality. Based on 20 included studies, an overall small yet significant effect was found ( r = − .14), with high heterogeneity. Moderator analyses revealed differences for gender, sample type, continent, assessment timeframe of suicidal behaviors, statistical measures, and study quality. The findings indicate the significance of teachers in suicide prevention and emphasize the need for professional development to strengthen relationship-building skills.