Future anxiety and thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness: The medi̇ati̇ng role of experi̇enti̇al avoidance

The future holds uncertainty, which can be anxiety-provoking for individuals. University students, who are in the planning stages of their lives, may experience future anxiety in the face of these uncertainties, sometimes accompanied by suicidal thoughts. According to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are risk factors for developing suicidal ideation. To better understand the relationship between future anxiety and suicidal tendency, this study aims to examine the mediating role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between future fear, hopelessness about the future, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness among university students. This study was conducted with 629 participants currently attending university. The study utilized a personal information form to gather demographic characteristics, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ-15), the Future Anxiety Scale for University Students (FAS-US), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II). A quantitative research approach with a correlational design was employed. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted using the SPSS program, and statistical analyses based on mediation analysis were performed using the MPlus program. The results indicate that the relationship between future fear and perceived burdensomeness is fully mediated by experiential avoidance. Furthermore, experiential avoidance partially mediates the relationships between hopelessness about the future and perceived burdensomeness, as well as between hopelessness about the future and thwarted belongingness. Additionally, experiential avoidance fully mediates the relationship between future fear and thwarted belongingness. These findings provide significant insights into understanding the impact of individuals' future-oriented fears on social relationships and sense of belonging, and consequently, the potential risk factors for individuals at risk of suicide. The study's findings have been discussed in the context of the literature, with an evaluation of the study's limitations, and suggestions have been made for future research. Keywords: Future Anxiety, Fear of The Future, Future Hopelessness, Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness, Experiential Avoidance