Üniversiteye geçiş sürecindeki Türk gençlerinde intihar eğilimini önleyici etkenler olarak ilişkili benlik ve aidiyet duygusu

This study investigates protective factors for suicide and depressive symptoms in Turkish adolescents during their first year of college, a period of transition to university. Informed by theories of Kâğıtçıbaşı (2007), Durkheim (1951), Joiner (2005) and theories on basic psychological needs (Kâğıtçıbaşı, 2007; Maslow, 1943; Murray, 1938; Ryan & Deci, 2000) we propose that it is the construal of self as related and the individual sense of belonging that play a critical protective role against suicidality and depression. Specifically, we examined whether higher related self-construal is associated with less suicidal tendency (ideation and attempts) within the past year and less depressive symptoms, and whether this association is mediated through adolescents' general sense of belonging. We hypothesized that the protective effect of the sense of belonging is stronger for individuals who experience high levels of perceived stress. Furthermore the contribution of autonomous self-construal to suicidal tendency and depression was addressed by the current study. To this end, cross-sectional survey data was collected from a total of 321 freshman students from a private and a public university in Istanbul. Results confirmed the protective contribution of the sense of belonging against suicidal tendency (ideation and attempt history) and depression, and the protective contribution of related self-construal against suicidal tendency and depression. Autonomous self-construal was not associated with suicidal tendency or depression. These results appear to relatedness as a protective factor for suicidal ideation (desire), attempt (behavior) and depression. Furthermore the sense of belonging constituted a mediating role between related self-construal and suicidal ideation and between related self-construal and depression. The severity of stress-levels during the past year did not moderate the association between the sense of belonging and suicidal tendency and the sense of belonging and depression. Instead, the sense of belonging appeared to mediate the relation between stress and suicidal ideation and stress and depression. This study revealed promising results about sociocultural protective factors of against suicide and depressive symptoms. These results are interpreted in light of the sociocultural composure of the urban university context. Future research and gained insights into protective pathways in different sociocultural contexts separately for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts are crucial in informing effective and socioculturally tailored suicide prevention strategies.