Examining the relationship between negative social exchange and suicidal ideation: the role of thwarted interpersonal needs

Abstract

Purpose Suicidal ideation (SI) is a serious public health concern among youth and young adults in the USA. It is critical to evaluate potential risk and protective factors associated with SI among young adults to develop prevention strategies that target novel mechanistic outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This study sought to evaluate the association between negative social exchange (NSE) and SI via the framework of the interpersonal theory of suicide. Participants were a diverse sample of N = 243 college students, with a mean age of 19.98 years (SD = 3.15). Participants were predominantly female (68.3%) and Hispanic/Latinx (39.5%), white (21.4%) or multiracial/multiethnic (24.3%). Participants completed survey measures to assess each of the constructs of interest. Findings Results indicated a significant indirect effect from NSE to SI via perceived burdensomeness, but not thwarted belongingness. Originality/value While individual-level interventions target emotional reactivity and managing emotional responses, larger public health–focused interventions on campus may wish to target reductions in NSE on campus. Future work should evaluate these associations using longitudinal study designs to further evaluate the statistical models.