Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part E (2025)

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents worldwide. The Lancet Commission (2013) reported 62,960 adolescent deaths, with suicide disproportionately affecting older adolescents (15-24 years). A broad body of research has since examined prevalence, risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation (SI) among school and university students across diverse cultural contexts.
Objectives: To synthesize recent empirical findings on the prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents and young adults, and to identify recurring individual, family, psychosocial, and cognitive risk and protective factors reported in cross-sectional, longitudinal, and systematic reviews.
Methodology: Narrative synthesis of empirical studies and systematic reviews described in the provided literature corpus. Sources included large cross-sectional surveys, cohort studies, targeted school and university samples, meta-analyses, and PRISMA-style reviews. Findings were organized thematically around prevalence, family environment, psychological distress, cognitive style, gender differences, and protective factors.
Results: Prevalence estimates vary by setting: a meta-analysis reported overall rates of SI ≈7.5% (with suicidal planning 2.2% and attempts 1.4%), while many school and university studies reported single-study SI rates ranging from ~ 7.9% to > 10%. Family environment emerged repeatedly as a core determinant: low parental support, family conflict, poor cohesion, single-parent upbringing, and experiences of physical/sexual violence elevated SI risk. Psychological distress (depression, anxiety, hopelessness), substance use, and adverse life events were consistently associated with higher SI; several studies found distress mediates the relationship between psychosocial stressors and SI. Cognitive factors (negative cognitive style, rumination, problem-solving deficits, inattention) were linked to SI, often interacting with mood symptoms. Gender patterns are complex: many studies report higher ideation among females but higher completed suicide among males; risk factor profiles differ by gender. Protective factors repeatedly identified include parental warmth, family cohesion, school connectedness, social support, and adaptive coping/problem-solving.
Conclusions: Suicidal ideation in adolescents is multifactorial, with family context and psychological distress as central, often interacting contributors. Prevention efforts should prioritize strengthening family support and school connectedness, early identification of psychological distress, and interventions targeting cognitive and coping deficits. Future research should emphasize longitudinal designs, culturally sensitive measurement, and evaluation of family-centered preventive interventions.