Suicidal Behavior in the Student Population

The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence rate of suicidal behavior in the student population, its relationship to emotional disadaptation, as well as to study specific psychological features that characterize a group of students with suicidal behavior and thus can be considered as risk factors and important targets for psychological assistance. 513 first-year students (427 men and 86 women aged from 16 to 25 years) of a technical university have participated in our study in December 2007. The study was conducted using a battery of psychodiagnostic techniques aimed at testing the severity of suicidal behavior, emotional disadaptation, the level of various types of psychological stress and coping strategies. The results indicate that 11.24% of students have suicidal thoughts and 4.34% have suicidal intentions. Students with suicidal intentions have a higher level of emotional disadaptation, they report having a higher level of stress and they are choosing the less adaptive ways of coping with it in comparison with students without suicidal thoughts and intentions. The family dysfunctions are more frequent among these students, and also they have a high level of social anxiety.

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