Correlation between Family Environment and Suicidal Ideation in University Students in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Hui Zhai³  Bing Bai¹  Lu Chen²  Dong Han³  Lin Wang³  Zhengxue Qiao³  Xiaohui Qiu³  Xiuxian Yang³  Yanjie Yang³ 

[1] Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China; E-Mail:;Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China; E-Mail:;Department of Medical Psychology, Public Health Institute of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China; E-Mails:

关键词: China;    university students;    family environment;    suicidal ideation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120201412

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Background: This study investigated the association between suicidal ideation and family environment. The sample included 5183 Chinese university students. A number of studies on suicidal ideation have focused on individuals rather than families. This paper reviews the general principles of suicidal ideation and the consequences resulting from the family environment. Methods: This study used six different colleges as the dataset, which included 2645 males and 2538 females. Students were questioned with respect to social demographics and suicidal ideation factors. The data were analyzed with factor and logistic analyses to determine the association between suicidal ideation and poor family environment. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 9.2% (476/5183). Most participants with suicidal ideation had significant similarities: they had poor family structures and relationships, their parents had unstable work, and their parents used improper parenting styles. Female students were more likely to have suicidal thoughts than male students. Conclusions: This study shows that suicidal ideation is a public health issue among Chinese university students and demonstrates the importance of considering the family environment when examining university students’ suicidal ideation. Understanding family-related suicidal ideation risk factors can help to predict and prevent suicides among university students.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.