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Researchers in China found college students were more likely to indicate they experienced suicidal ideation if they had many negative life events or if they reported not feeling their life had meaning.
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Higher education is often seen as a launchpad for students to develop themselves and their skills to prepare for careers, but it can also be a place to foster identity and autonomy as well as find meaning in life.
A recent study from Ludong University in China finds, among 938 undergraduate students, students who experienced negative life events and had a fixed mindset (described by entity theory) were more likely to indicate suicidal ideation. However, students who reported having meaning in their lives were less likely to report suicidal ideation.
Colleges and universities, as well as individual practitioners, can play a role in guiding a student’s sense of purpose and mission, which can in turn support their mental health.
By the Numbers
Around 13 percent of college students in the U.S. reported experiencing suicidal ideation in the past year, according to the most recent data from the Healthy Minds Study. Six percent of students had a suicide plan and 2 percent had a suicide attempt.
LGBTQ+ students are at a higher risk for suicidal ideation, with around one-third of LGBTQ+ young people in the U.S. expressing that they considered suicide in the past year, according to data from the Trevor Project.
The research: The study collected data from a group of students in an introductory psychology course who took an assessment that measured their mental health during orientation week. (Any student who experienced psychological distress after completing the questionnaire was supported by professional counselors or directed to a hot line to address concerns, as well.)
Researchers analyzed students’ responses to see the correlation between suicidal ideation and negative life events (including academic stress; being punished; loss of family, friends and property; health concerns; and other problems), a student’s view on implicit personality theory, and if the students attributed meaning to their lives.
Across respondents, suicidal ideation was positively correlated with negative life events and entity theory, and it was negatively correlated with meaning in life. Similarly, suicidal ideation and negative life events both had negative correlations with meaning in life, showing how students’ perception of their life purpose can demonstrate a growth mindset and more resilient perspectives.
In their discussion, researchers proposed that negative events in a student’s life could lead to the development of their fixed perspective, which could also increase their likelihood of expressing suicidal ideation.
“Negative life events could activate the individual’s negative cognition of the self and cause the individual to engage in negative coping behaviors. Long-term negative life events can severely impact one’s self-esteem and self-worth,” according to the paper.
Digging deeper: College students face many pressures and challenges in their daily lives, which can spur feelings of pain and helplessness, according to researchers. To improve student mental health, the study points to the value of exploring one’s positive attributes and fostering personal change.
Self-growth education courses can be one way universities can help students develop a clearer sense of self and establish their own values, ideals and goals.
“This approach can effectively improve their sense of mission and significance, which in turn will improve their sense of well-being,” researchers wrote.
In recent years, colleges and universities have increased offerings of credit-bearing courses that promote happiness, reflection and gratitude in students’ lives. This spring, the University of Miami launched a course, the Art and Science of Flourishing, which focuses on well-being and helping students search for their purpose and engaging in conversations about what gives life meaning.
Cultivating meaningful experiences for young people can also include advising them on goals and ambitions, helping them build gratifying relationships, and pushing them to find meaning outside of achievements in academics, according to research from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.
Do you have a wellness tip that might help others encourage student success? Tell us about it.
