TY - JOUR
PY - 2014//
TI - Loneliness and suicidal ideation in drug-using college students
JO - Suicide and life-threatening behavior
A1 - Lamis, Dorian A.
A1 - Ballard, Elizabeth D.
A1 - Patel, Amee B.
SP - 629
EP - 640
VL - 44
IS - 6
N2 - The college years are marked by social changes and behavioral experimentation which may increase risk of suicidal ideation. We propose a novel pathway for the development of suicidal thoughts between two established suicide risk factors, loneliness and drug use, which have not been examined in a nonclinical sample. Data were collected from 207 undergraduate drug-using students at a large southeastern university. As hypothesized, suicidal ideation was positively correlated with both loneliness (r = .40) and drug use (r = .29). After controlling for several demographic variables, social desirability, and anxiety sensitivity, drug use was tested as a potential mediator in the loneliness-suicidal ideation link using a single-mediator model.
RESULTS indicated a significant indirect (mediated) effect of loneliness on suicidal ideation via drug use (ab = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02-0.18), suggesting that loneliness may contribute to suicidal ideation through increased drug use among college students. Identification of and intervention with students reporting loneliness and drug use may be a promising suicide prevention strategy on college campuses.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0363-0234 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12095 ID - ref1 ER -