External loci-of-hope as moderators of interpersonal suicide risk factors and suicidal ideation among Filipino college students

• Main Author: Burgos, Jasmine Frances C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Suicide; College students > Suicidal behavior > Philippines; Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_psych/84; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdm_psych/article/1086/viewcontent/2024_Burgos_External_loci_of_hope_as_moderators_of_interpersonal_suicide_risk.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Suicide among Filipino college students continues to be a critical public health concern, driven by diverse psychosocial stressors including academic pressures, relational conflicts, and cultural expectations. Guided by the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS), I examine how external loci-of-hope moderate the relationship between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation for Filipino college students in the Philippines. Participants (N = 326) were recruited and screened to answer a questionnaire assessing for suicidal ideation, interpersonal suicide risk factors, and external-family and external-peer loci-of-hope. Hierarchical regression analyses tested the moderating effects of these dimensions of hope on the link between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation. Findings revealed that external-family locus-of-hope buffered the adverse effects of perceived burdensomeness on suicidal ideation, while an external-peer locus-of-hope mitigated the impact of thwarted belongingness on suicidal ideation. These results underscore the culturally significant protective roles of family and peer hope within the collectivist Filipino context, where social bonds play a pivotal role in shaping mental health outcomes. The study emphasizes the need for mental health interventions that are culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate, and actively incorporate family and peer-based hope. Suicide prevention, intervention and postvention strategies should integrate family- and peer-based programs, fostering resilience and enhancing mental well-being. The discussion highlights the understanding and development of culturally informed, community-based mental health initiatives aimed at reducing suicide risk among Filipino college students.