The Escape Theory of Suicide in College Students: Testing a Model That Includes Perfectionism

A model of the escape theory of suicide was tested, using various scales, on 114 college students. Results indicate that socially prescribed perfectionism was significantly positively correlated with suicide ideation in addition to hopelessness & depression. When college students think others have unrealistically high expectations of them, they are likely to be suicidal. The authors support a revised escape theory of suicide in a college student population.