Page 132 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Polyvictimization and suicidal ideations/

behaviors among college students: Examining
protective factors of resilience and social

support

Jeoung Min Lee*
School of Education, Social Work, and Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas
City, Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Abstract

By applying the Schematic Appraisals Model of Suicide, this study examined whether
resilience mediates and perceived social support moderates the relationship
between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors among college students.
The study included 790 college students (71% female), whose ages ranged from 18
to 31 years. Their racial demographics included White (472; 55%), African American
(128; 17%), Hispanic (94; 12%), and others (125; 16%). Models 4 and 5 from PROCESS
Academic editor: Macro 4.2 in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 29.0 were used to test the
Mihajlo Jakovljevic M.D. Ph.D. MAE mediation and moderation effects. The results indicated a positive association
*Corresponding author: between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Resilience exhibited
Jeoung Min Lee an indirect association between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors.
(jeoungminlee@umkc.edu)
Specifically, if polyvictimized college students have higher levels of resilience, they
Citation: Lee, J.M. (2025). are less likely to experience suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Perceived social support
Polyvictimization and suicidal
ideations/behaviors among college as a moderator explained the association between polyvictimization and suicidal
students: Examining protective thoughts/behaviors. This result suggests that when individuals who experience
factors of resilience and social polyvictimization receive social support, they are less likely to have suicidal thoughts/
support. Global Health Econ behaviors. For polyvictimized college students, both resilience and perceived
Sustain, 3(3):124-134.
https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3737 social support can serve as protective factors against suicidal thoughts/behaviors.
This study offers insights for implementing campus-wide intervention programs
Received: May 22, 2024
to enhance college students’ resilience and interaction skills, thus contributing to
Revised: July 12, 2024 preventing suicidal thoughts/behaviors among polyvictimized individuals.
Accepted: July 19, 2024
Published online: September 26, Keywords: Polyvictimization; Suicidal thoughts/behaviors; Resilience; Perceived social
2024 support; College students
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, 1. Introduction
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is Approximately, 28% of college students are at a higher risk of suicidality, and approximately
properly cited. 3% have attempted suicide (American College Health Association, 2023). For enhancing
Publisher’s Note: AccScience their well-being in their new academic environment, college students must cultivate intra/
Publishing remains neutral with interpersonal skills, which encompass intellectual ability, interpersonal social skills, and
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional autonomy (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NAS], 2017).
affiliations. Students who struggle to form close relationships or build strong social support networks

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 124 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3737