Bob Lew1,2, Ksenia Chistopolskaya3, Yanzheng Liu1, Mansor Abu Talib4, Olga Mitina5, Jie Zhang1,6. 1. Shandong University Center for Suicide Prevention Research, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, PR China. 2. Department of Social Psychology, Putra University of Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. 3. Eramishantsev City Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russia. 4. Department of Human Development and Family Study, Putra University of Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. 5. Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. 6. Department of Sociology, State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo State, Buffalo NY, USA.
Abstract
Background: According to the strain theory of suicide, strains, resulting from conflicting and competing pressures in an individual's life, are hypothesized to precede suicide. But social support is an important factor that can mitigate strains and lessen their input in suicidal behavior. Aims: This study was designed to assess the moderating role of social support in the relation between strain and suicidality. Methods: A sample of 1,051 employees were recruited in Beijing, the capital of China, through an online survey. Moderation analysis was performed using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Social support was measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and strains were assessed with the Psychological Strains Scale. Results: Psychological strains are a good predictor of suicidality, and social support, a basic need for each human being, moderates and decreases the effects of psychological strains on suicidality. Limitations: The cross-sectional survey limited the extent to which conclusions about causal relationships can be drawn. Furthermore, the results may not be generalized to the whole of China because of its diversity. Conclusion: Social support has a tendency to mitigate the effects of psychological strains on suicidality.
Background: According to the strain theory of suicide, strains, resulting from conflicting and competing pressures in an individual's life, are hypothesized to precede suicide. But social support is an important factor that can mitigate strains and lessen their input in suicidal behavior. Aims: This study was designed to assess the moderating role of social support in the relation between strain and suicidality. Methods: A sample of 1,051 employees were recruited in Beijing, the capital of China, through an online survey. Moderation analysis was performed using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Social support was measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and strains were assessed with the Psychological Strains Scale. Results: Psychological strains are a good predictor of suicidality, and social support, a basic need for each human being, moderates and decreases the effects of psychological strains on suicidality. Limitations: The cross-sectional survey limited the extent to which conclusions about causal relationships can be drawn. Furthermore, the results may not be generalized to the whole of China because of its diversity. Conclusion: Social support has a tendency to mitigate the effects of psychological strains on suicidality.
Entities:
Keywords:
China; protective factors; psychological strains; social support; strain theory of suicide
Authors: Deborah J Bowen; Senaida Fernandez Poole; Mary White; Rodney Lyn; Debra A Flores; Helen G Haile; David R Williams Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-15 Impact factor: 3.390