Prediction of suicidal ideations based on socioeconomic status and mental health among University of Tabriz students

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of socioeconomic status and dimensions of mental health with suicidal tendency among students of the University of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: The present descriptive and correlational study was conducted on 900 students of the University of Tabriz in the academic year of 2016-2017. The study tools included the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Socio-Economic Status Questionnaire (SESQ) of Ghodratnama et al. Results: Correlation results showed that depression (r = 0.514, P < 0.01), psychoticism (r = 0.478, P < 0.01), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (r = 0.463, P < 0.01), respectively, had the highest correlation with suicidal ideations. Somatization was also correlated with suicidal ideations (r = 0.231, P < 0.05). Of the components of socioeconomic status, income (r = -0.401, P < 0.01), and the economic class component (r = -0.321, P < 0.05) had the highest correlation coefficients, respectively. Results of regression analysis indicated that the mental health variable predicted suicide in merely 58.6% of people. Moreover, with the addition of the socioeconomic status variable to the equation, both variables predicted an average of 71.6% of the overall suicidal ideations among individuals. Conclusion: Results indicated that mental health difficulties and socioeconomic problems might have a negative impact on the development of suicidal thoughts. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students’ mental health and social/financial problems be taken into consideration by educational managers responsible in universities, a mission that would be included in curriculum plans.