A Sociological Study of Students' Suicide Ideation: An Empirical Test of Routine Activities and Agnew's General Strain Theories

Adolescents are particularly susceptible to suicidal tendencies. Suicide, the tragic outcome of a process that commences with suicidal thoughts, is a serious concern. Studies indicate that approximately one-third of individuals, who contemplate suicide, will eventually make an attempt on their own lives. Suicidal ideation is a significant predictor for suicide attempts. Various empirical studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between cyberbullying victimization and suicidal behavior. Typically, cyber stalking victims are young with college students being at a heightened risk. This study aimed to investigate the impact of cyber victimization as a stressor on suicidal ideation. To accomplish this objective, the research drew upon two theoretical frameworks: theory of Cohen and Felson's Routine Activities and theory of Robert Agnew's General Strain. According to Cohen and Felson's theory, the presence of three elements—target attractiveness, proximity to motivated offenders, and absence of capable guardians—contributes to criminal behavior and delinquency (in this case, cyber victimization). This theory was employed to explore the factors underlying cyber victimization. Furthermore, Agnew's strain theory posits that cyber victimization serves as a source of strain, leading to the development of negative emotions in individuals. According to this theory, the emergence of negative emotions can precipitate deviant behaviors, such as suicidal ideation and suicide.

This study employed a cross-sectional survey as its research method, utilizing a questionnaire to gather data. The research population comprised all students enrolled at Mazandaran University during the years of 1400-1401. A total of 426 questionnaires were collected and after excluding incomplete or unreliable responses, 400 questionnaires were subjected to analysis. The sampling technique employed in this research was stratified random sampling proportionate to the population size and categorized by gender. The data were analyzed using mean comparison tests and multiple regression with the assistance of SPSS software.

In line with the theory of Routine Activities, criminal incidents occur when three elements converge in time and space: a motivated offender encountering a suitable target in the absence of a capable guardian. Consequently, victimization is elucidated by the convergence of suitability and access to a motivated offender in the absence of a capable protector. The research findings demonstrated that the presence of online target attractiveness, online proximity to motivated offenders, and absence of capable guardians contribute to an escalation in cyber victimization. According to the theory of General Strain, cyber victimization as a source of strain induces negative emotions in individuals. This theory posits that suicide is influenced by an individual's level of strain and his/her capacity to manage it through lawful means. The research results indicated that cyber victimization has a detrimental impact on negative emotions. Furthermore, the findings confirmed that negative emotions have a direct correlation with students' suicidal ideation. Agnew contended that men are more inclined than women to respond to strain with criminal or delinquent behavior. Conversely, women are more prone to exhibit self-destructive behavior in response to strain. The study's results aligned with this assertion, revealing that girls experiencing negative emotions are more likely to have suicidal ideation compared to boys experiencing similar emotions.