The university stage, particularly its beginning, is a time of tension and emotional stress for young students—many of whom are under the age of 20. This is a group in which suicidal ideation has increased significantly in recent years, surpassing the general population. Now, a study led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute has quantified the prevalence of suicidal thoughts among university students and identified the main associated risk factors. The study, part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative (WMH-ICS) led by Harvard University in the United States, has been published in the journal Psychiatry Research.
The study included nearly 73,000 university students, most of them in their first year, from 71 universities across 18 countries between 2017 and 2023. Participating countries included Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Spain, France, Kenya, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, Chile, and China. Students were invited via email to complete a survey designed to assess whether they had ever experienced suicidal thoughts or attempts, as well as whether they had faced adverse life events or had mental health disorders. This is the largest study ever conducted on this topic.
Almost Half Had Experienced Suicidal Thoughts
Responses from participants who completed the survey revealed that nearly half (47%) had experienced suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives, 26% had made a suicide plan, and 10% had attempted suicide. In the year prior to completing the survey, 30% reported having suicidal thoughts, 14% had made a plan, and 2.3% had attempted suicide. These rates are significantly higher than those of the general population. However, researchers caution that although these results are consistent with other studies, they may be slightly overestimated due to the self-selection of students with suicidal ideation into the survey.
"Exposure to emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect—especially during childhood—is directly linked to suicidal ideation and the progression to planning and attempting suicide," explains Dr. Philippe Mortier, researcher in the Health Services Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and member of the CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP). "All these factors carry risk—every traumatic event, every mental disorder, without exception, increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts," he adds. The results also highlight the importance of having parents with mental disorders, which can lead to childhood adversity.
Another factor increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts is gender identity. Among transgender students, the risk is significantly higher—they are 2.4 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation and 3.6 times more likely to attempt suicide than other students. Researchers point out that this group is more likely to be exposed to multiple risk factors, including social ones. These conclusions can be extended to the broader LGBTQ+ population. Overall, the strongest predictors of suicidal behavior were emotional abuse, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.
According to Philippe Mortier, preventing such outcomes requires "increasing resources available to universities to reduce mental health disorders and suicide risk." "We need to invest in strategies and resources to build effective preventive interventions," he explains. In this regard, Dr. Jordi Alonso, coordinator of the Health Services Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Spanish coordinator of the WMH-ICS initiative, and principal investigator at CIBERESP, adds that "effective prevention must take into account the combination of risk factors—such as sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and the accumulation of childhood disorders—which can create a biosocial feedback loop that increases suicide risk."
Cal tenir en compte que l'adolescència és un període d'alt risc per a l'aparició de pensaments i conductes suïcides, que es poden mantenir fins a l'edat adulta. De fet, un terç dels joves experimenten ideació suïcida abans d'entrar a la universitat i molts casos persisteixen durant aquest període de la seva vida. Tot plegat pot produir un menor rendiment acadèmic i l'abandonament dels estudis universitaris, així com efectes adversos físics i mentals a llarg termini i una baixa qualitat de vida. "Identificar els factors de risc durant aquesta transició crítica és essencial per als esforços de prevenció", coincideixen Mortier i Alonso.
It is important to note that adolescence is a high-risk period for the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, which can persist into adulthood. In fact, one-third of young people experience suicidal ideation before entering university, and many cases continue during this period. This can result in poorer academic performance, dropout, long-term physical and mental health problems, and reduced quality of life. "Identifying risk factors during this critical transition is essential for prevention efforts," conclude Mortier and Alonso.
