Investigating the State of Self-Harm and its Relationship with Suicidal Ideation in College Students: Evidence from a Cross-sectional Study in Southern Iran

Self-harm behaviors and suicidal ideation as two important psychological challenges can have irreparable consequences for students. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the state of self-harm and its relationship with suicidal ideation in students.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 290 students of different fields at Jiroft University of Medical Sciences in the south of Iran between June and September 2023. Data were collected using two standard questionnaires of the Beck Scale For Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) and self-harm behaviors. Descriptive statistics methods were used for the scores of self-harm behaviors and suicidal ideation. Pearson's correlation coefficient was also used to check the correlation between these two main variables, and statistical tests such as t-test and One-way Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) were used to compare averages between groups. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 23.

Self-harm behaviors were at low, average, high, and very high levels in 24%, 67%, and 9% of students, respectively. Also, Suicidal ideation was in low, moderate, and high (readiness to commit suicide) levels in 5.6%, 3.4%, and 1.05% of students, respectively. Furthermore, 89.95% of students also had no suicidal thoughts. There was a statistically significant correlation between self-harm behaviors and suicidal ideation of students (p<0.001, r=0.667). Also, the mean score of self-harm behaviors, including dormitory residents (p=0.02), males (p=0.04), singles (p=0.001), undergraduates (p=0.003), and unemployed (p=0.01) was significantly higher than others. In addition, the average score of suicidal ideation was significantly higher in students living in the dormitories (p=0.03), including singles (p=0.005), undergraduates (p=0.02), and unemployed (p=0.04) than in others.

It is suggested that the officials of student, counseling, and cultural affairs of universities improve the living conditions of students in dormitories, pay attention to the needs of students, and try to solve their mental and psychological problems, as well as provide employment and marriage of students to reduce their self-harm behaviors and suicidal ideation. Additionally, government policy interventions, such as routine mental health care screening programs for students and timely interventions to solve mental health problems, are suggested.