Suicide represents a serious public health issue and lacks a singular, universally accepted definition, which complicates its study and comprehensive prevention. Its prevention requires a multidimensional framework encompassing individual, social, and structural factors, as the interaction among these elements significantly increases risk. Moreover, its impact varies across sociodemographic contexts, highlighting the need for tailored strategies that address the specific realities of each population.
Aims:
This study aimed to examine suicidal behavior among young people and analyze its prevalence in relation to gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, education, employment status, and family relationships.
Methods:
The sample consisted of 539 young individuals aged 15 to 30 years (M = 20.64, SD = 3.61). Participants completed the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised to assess suicidal behavior and provided information on 11 independent variables grouped into sociodemographic, educational, occupational, personal, and familial domains. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted using MANOVA.
Results:
Most participants exhibited a low risk of suicide; however, nearly 20% showed moderate to high risk levels. Higher vulnerability was observed among women, migrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and questioning (LGBTIQ+) individuals. In addition, adverse family relationships and socioeconomic precarity were associated with increased susceptibility to suicidal behavior, as were personal, educational, occupational, and familial factors.
Conclusions:
The findings enhance understanding of suicidal behavior among young people. The results underscore the urgent need for preventive strategies grounded in an intersectional perspective, integrating educational interventions, public welfare policies, and family support initiatives that address the structural inequalities affecting youth mental health.
BarrosoA. A. (2019). Comprender el suicidio desde una perspectiva de género: una revisión crítica bibliográfica [Understanding suicide from a gender perspective: A critical bibliographic review]. Revista de la Asociación Española de Neuropsiquiatría, 39(135), 51–66. https://doi.org/10.4321/s0211-57352019000100004
Carquin-HamichandD. S. (2024). Bridging disciplines and communities: An interdisciplinary dialogical approach to suicide prevention in Guyana. Scaffold: Journal of the Institute of Comparative Studies in Literature, Arts and Culture, 1(2), 12–20.
4.
ChandlerA.AndersonJ.HelmanR.HuqueS.YueE. (2022). Reimagining suicide research: The limits and possibilities of suicide cultures. Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective, 11(10), 20–28.
5.
ColemanS. M.LiraM. C.BlanchetteJ.HeerenT. C.NaimiT. S. (2021). Alcohol policies, firearm policies, and suicide in the United States: A lagged cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 21, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10216-x
6.
DervicK.OquendoM. A.GrunebaumM. F.EllisS.BurkeA. K.MannJ. J. (2004). Religious affiliation and suicide attempt. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(12), 2303–2308. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.12.2303
7.
DevriesK.WattsC.YoshihamaM.KissL.SchraiberL. B.DeyessaN.HeiseL.DurandJ.MbwamboJ.JansenH.BerhaneY.EllsbergM.Garcia-MorenoC. (2011). Violence against women is strongly associated with suicide attempts: Evidence from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women. Social Science & Medicine, 73(1), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.006
FranklinJ. C.RibeiroJ. D.FoxK. R.BentleyK. H.KleimanE. M.HuangX.MusacchioK. M.JaroszewskiA. C.ChangB. P.NockM. K. (2017). Risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Psychological Bulletin, 143(2), 187–232. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000084
10.
Galvez-SánchezC. M.Camacho-RuizJ. A.CastelliL.Limiñana-GrasR. M. (2024). Exploring the role of masculinity in male suicide: A systematic review. Psychiatry International, 6(1), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6010002
11.
Gómez-RomeroM. J.Tomás-SábadoJ.Montes-HidalgoJ.Brando-GarridoC.LimoneroJ. T. (2021). The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. Spanish form. Death Studies, 45(8), 623–629. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2019.1671544
12.
HatchelT.PolaninJ. R.EspelageD. L. (2021). Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among LGBTQ youth: Meta-analyses and a systematic review. Archives of Suicide Research, 25(1), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2019.1663329
13.
Hernández-BelloL.Hueso-MontoroC.Gómez-UrquizaJ. L.Cogollo-MilanésZ. (2020). Prevalencia y factores asociados a la ideación e intento de suicidio en adolescentes: revisión sistemática [Prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempt in adolescents: A systematic review]. Revista Española de Salud Pública, 94, Article e202009094.
14.
JobesD. A.ChalkerS. A. (2019). One size does not fit all: A comprehensive clinical approach to reducing suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(19), Article 3606. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193606
15.
JoinerT. E. (2005). Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press.
16.
JonesF.VerityL.PanayiotouM.QualterP. (2023). A review of evidence on the link between masculinity, loneliness, and suicide as observed in social media discussions. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 5, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2023.100129
17.
KimJ. L.KimJ. M.ChoiY.LeeT. H.ParkE. C. (2016). Effect of socioeconomic status on the linkage between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(5), 588–597. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12242
18.
KingK.BurleyA.SeidlerZ.ArmstrongG.VijayakumarL. (2024). What psychologists need to know about men and suicide. Australian Psychologist, 59(6), 487–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2024.2404116
19.
KirshenbaumJ. S.PagliaccioD.BitranA.XuE.AuerbachR. P. (2024). Why do adolescents attempt suicide? Insights from leading ideation-to-action suicide theories: A systematic review. Translational Psychiatry, 14(1), 266. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02914-y
20.
LoneyK. J.O’ConnorR. C. (2025). Suicide prevention in high-risk settings: A scoping review. National Suicide Prevention Advisory Group. https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/357948/1/357948.pdf
21.
MarchiM.ArcolinE.FioreG.TravascioA.UbertiD.AmaddeoF.Manlio ConvertiM.FiorilloA.MirandolaM.PinnaF.VentriglioA.GaleazziG. M. (2022). Self-harm and suicidality among LGBTIQ people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Review of Psychiatry, 34(3–4), 240–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2053070
22.
MarmotM.AllenJ.BoyceT.GoldblattP.MorrisonJ. (2020). Health equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 years on. Institute of Health Equity.
23.
MarzettiH.McDaidL.O’ConnorR. (2022). “Am I really alive?”: Understanding the role of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in young LGBT+ people’s suicidal distress. Social Science & Medicine, 298, Article 114860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114860
24.
MetzlJ. M.HansenH. (2014). Structural competency: Theorizing a new medical engagement with stigma and inequality. Social Science & Medicine, 103, 126–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.06.032
25.
MeyerI. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674
26.
Ministerio de Sanidad, Política Sociale Igualdad. (2012). Guía de Práctica Clínica de Prevención y Tratamiento de la Conducta Suicida [Guide to clinical practice for prevention and treatment of suicidal behavior].
27.
NeriB. I. F.ÁvilaZ. M.HuicocheaN. E. J.SalgadoR. C. (2020). Ideación suicida y su asociación con el apoyo social percibido en adolescentes [Suicidal ideation and its association with perceived social support in adolescents]. Atención Familiar, 27(1), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.22201/facmed.14058871p.2020.1.72278
28.
Observatorio del Suicidio en España. (2024). Suicidios España 2023: datos definitivos [Suicides in Spain 2023: Final data]. Fundación Española para la Prevención del Suicidio. https://www.fsme.es/observatorio-del-suicidio-2023/
29.
OsmanA.BaggeC. L.GutierrezP. M.KonickL. C.KopperB. A.BarriosF. X. (2001). The suicidal behaviors questionnaire–revised (SBQ-R): Validation with clinical and nonclinical samples. Assessment, 8(4), 443–454. https://doi.org/10.1177/107319110100800409
30.
PescosolidoB. A. (2024). A network frame offers a promising transdisciplinary tool for understanding complex health and health care system problems like suicide. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(34), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2402194121
31.
PestanerM. C.TyndallD. E.PowellS. B. (2021). The role of the school nurse in suicide interventions: An integrative review. The Journal of School Nursing, 37(1), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840519889679
32.
Prades-CaballeroV.Navarro-PérezJ. J.CarbonellÁ. (2025). Factors associated with suicidal behavior in adolescents: An umbrella review using the socio-ecological model. Community Mental Health Journal, 61(4), 612–628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-024-01368-2
33.
QuD.ZhuA.ChenR. (2024). Addressing the gender paradox: Effective suicide prevention strategies for women. Cell Reports Medicine, 5(6), Article 101613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101613
34.
Reina-AguilarP.Díaz-JiménezR. M.Caravaca-SánchezF. (2023). Suicide risk among university students in Spain: Implications for social work. Social Work, 68(4), 299–306. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swad025
35.
RobertsC. L.LarshM.SymonsF. (2024). Interdisciplinarity and self-injury: Toward an inclusive research and treatment paradigm. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 49(4), 378–390. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2024.2370564
36.
SilvermanM. M.BermanA. L.SanddalN. D.O’carrollP. W.JoinerT. E.Jr. (2007). Rebuilding the tower of Babel: A revised nomenclature for the study of suicide and suicidal behaviors. Part 2: Suicide-related ideations, communications, and behaviors. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37(3), 264–277. https://doi.org/10.1521/suli.2007.37.3.264
37.
StackS. (2021). Contributing factors to suicide: Political, social, cultural and economic. Preventive Medicine, 152, Article 106498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106498
38.
StandleyC. J. (2022). Expanding our paradigms: Intersectional and socioecological approaches to suicide prevention. Death Studies, 46(1), 224–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2020.1725934
39.
SwearerS. M.KesselringS.RejmanE. (2024). Suicide prevention and intervention practices. In AxelrodM. I.HuppS. (Eds.), Investigating school psychology (pp. 42–55). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003266181
40.
TownsendH. (2024). The imposition of a coerced autonomy: Suicidal “bad girls,” human service professionals, and gender bias. Affilia, 39(3), 443–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/08861099231209760
41.
TownsendH. (2025). “Drama queens” and “attention seekers”: Characterizations of femininity and responses to women who communicated their intent to suicide. Gender & Society, 39(1), 5–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432241300619
42.
TsirigotisK.GruszczynskiW.TsirigotisM. (2011). Gender differentiation in methods of suicide attempts. Medical Science Monitor, 17(8), Article PH65. https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.881887
TyndallD. E.PestanerM.LewisT. (2025). The role of the school nurse in suicide prevention: Implications for equitable care of vulnerable youth. The Journal of School Nursing, 41(3), 357–369. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405231180618
45.
Vázquez-RodríguezA.García-ÁlvarezJ.Lorenzo-MoledoM. (2023). ¿Qué hacer ante el riesgo de una «generación perdida»? Juventud y empleo en una era de incertidumbre [What to do in the face of the risk of a “lost generation”? Youth and employment in an era of uncertainty]. Estudios Sobre Educación, 44, 81–107. https://doi.org/10.15581/004.44.004
46.
VillegasC.IbabeI.ArnosoA. (2021). People at risk of social exclusion: Mental health, structural-economic factors and sociocultural factors. International Journal of Social Psychology, 36(1), 122–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/02134748.2020.1840235
47.
WangX. X.GanQ.ZhouJ.CosquerM.FalissardB.CorrubleE.JousselmeC.GressierF. (2023). A systematic review of the factors associated with suicide attempts among sexual-minority youth. The European Journal of Psychiatry, 37(2), 72–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpsy.2022.09.003
