Husky MM, Pic O, Callahan S, Navarro-Mateu F. Twelve-month suicidal ideation, incidence and persistence among college students pre-pandemic and during the pandemic: A longitudinal study.
Psychiatry Res 2024;
331:115669. [PMID:
38091895 DOI:
10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115669]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/02/2024]
Abstract
The present study explored whether there had been significant changes in 12-month suicidal thoughts, incidence, and persistence of suicidal ideation among college students prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were drawn from the French portion of the World Mental Health International College student Survey Initiative (WMH-ICS), a prospective cohort survey initiated in 2017. Students who completed both the baseline and one-year follow-up surveys were included (n = 1,216). Lifetime suicidal ideation and behaviors and mental disorders were assessed at baseline, and 12-month suicidal ideation and behaviors were also assessed at one-year follow-up. Logistic regressions were used to determine whether the odds of 12-month suicidal ideation at follow-up was associated with COVID-19 pandemic period while adjusting for lifetime psychopathology. No significant change in the odds of 12-month suicidal ideation was observed during the pandemic when compared to pre-pandemic times. Adjusting for prior psychopathology, 12-month suicidal ideation was not significantly associated with pandemic times, nor was incidence or persistence. No evidence of a significant increase in suicidal thoughts during the pandemic was observed. Longer follow-up periods and larger samples are needed in order to determine whether suicidal ideation and behaviors remain stable in the future.
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