Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation among Students at a University in Northeastern Thailand
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Abstract
Suicidal ideation among university students represents a multidimensional mental health concern of considerable complexity. This cross-sectional analytic study aimed to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation among students at a university in Northeastern Thailand, utilizing secondary data from a research project on depression among university students in the Lower Northeastern region of Thailand. The sample comprised 1,275 undergraduate students enrolled in the 2022 academic year. The original research project collected data between 2022 and 2023, whereas the present study was conducted between April and June 2026. The research instruments used for data collection comprised a personal information questionnaire, assessments of social media use and gaming behaviors, a depression screening instrument, and a suicidal ideation scale. Multiple logistic regression was employed for analysis, with results reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 58.82%, of which 50.04%, 6.12%, and 2.67% were classified as mild, moderate, and severe, respectively. Factors significantly associated with suicidal ideation included distant family relationships characterized by limited closeness and infrequent communication (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.22-3.14), pathological gaming behavior (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.21-3.09), moderate depression (AOR = 4.70, 95% CI: 2.85-7.74), and severe depression (AOR = 4.85, 95% CI: 2.22-10.62). In summary, distant family relationships, pathological gaming behavior, and moderate and severe depression were associated with suicidal ideation among university students. These findings may inform the development of surveillance, screening, counselling, and referral systems for students at risk. Future studies should analyze suicidal ideation separately according to its severity level to more clearly identify the factors associated with each level.
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บทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของ วารสารวิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี มหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี
ข้อความที่ปรากฏในบทความแต่ละเรื่องในวารสารวิชาการเล่มนี้เป็นความคิดเห็นส่วนตัวของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านไม่เกี่ยวข้องกับมหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี และคณาจารย์ท่านอื่นๆในมหาวิทยาลัยฯ แต่อย่างใด ความรับผิดชอบองค์ประกอบทั้งหมดของบทความแต่ละเรื่องเป็นของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่าน หากมีความผิดพลาดใดๆ ผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านจะรับผิดชอบบทความของตนเองแต่ผู้เดียว
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