Prediction of Suicidal Thoughts Based on Emotional Failure and Attachment Styles among University Students

Suicidal thoughts have been found to be associated with a wide variety of factors. A key factor is a history of childhood and family adversity. Previous studies have shown that troubled romantic relationships are associated with higher risk factors for mental health. Also, evidence suggests that those who have a secure attachment styles in childhood have fewer symptoms of psychopathology and higher psychosocial functioning throughout the lifespan (especially romantic relationship) compared to individuals with an insecure attachment style. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of emotional failure and attachment styles in predicting suicidal thoughts among university students of Azad university of Ardabil.

In this study, descriptive and correlational design was defined as a research method. The statistical population of this study was all university students of the Ardabil Azad University, who studied in the academic year of 2018 (N=4231). The sample consisted of 80 people who were selected by purposive sampling. Beck's suicidal thoughts questionnaire, Simpson's attachment style questionnaire and Ross's love hit questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression analysis.

The results of the research showed that emotional failure (r=0.35) and unsafe attachment style (r=0.23) had a positive correlation with suicidal thoughts, and secure attachment style (-0.40) had a significant negative correlation with suicidal thoughts (p<0.01). The results of regression analysis showed that 12 percent of the variance of suicidal thoughts can be predicted by emotional failure and 25 percent by attachment styles. Secure attachment style (β=3.35), emotional failure (β=3.35) and insecure attachment style (β=3.3) were the most effective factors in the prediction of suicidal thoughts, respectively.

Overall, the results of this study emphasized that attachment styles (secure and unsafe) and severity of emotional failure are good predictors of suicidal thoughts among university students.