Mental health symptomatology and exposure to non-fatal suicidal behavior: Factors that predict vulnerability and resilience among college students

Despite efforts to identify risk factors following exposure to completed suicide, research has paid less attention to the associations between exposure to non-fatal suicide behavior (NFSB) and mental health symptomatology—factors that may underlie one’s susceptibility to future suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This study examined differences in mental health symptomatology among 192 college students exposed to NFSB and 202 exposed to general stressors. Results indicated that students exposed to NFSB had significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to those exposed to a variety of other stressors but not NFSB. Furthermore, among those exposed, a number of risk and protective factors emerged in relation to psychological sequelae, such as emotional stability, social support, and the quality of the relationship between the exposed and suicidal individual. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing provisions of support for those exposed to NFSB.