Effects of impulsive personality on suicide in adolescent depression: The chain mediating of perceived social adversity and security.

Abstract

Background: Depression is a common mental disorder among adolescents, characterized by a high rate of suicide and self-harm, which not only is devastating to families but also has a negative impact on society. Psychological factors such as impulsive personality, perceived chronic social adversity (PCSA), and sense of security are closely associated with suicide risk in adolescents with depression. Few studies have been conducted on the relationship between these factors.

Aim: To explore the impact of impulsive personality on suicide risk in adolescents with depression and the chain mediating effect between PCSA and sense of security.

Methods: This study is a retrospective study. A total of 200 adolescents with depression who visited the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 comprised the study cohort. The PCSA scale, Security Questionnaire, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation were used to evaluate depression.

Results: Suicide risk was positively correlated with impulsive personality and PCSA (P < 0.05), whereas sense of security was negatively correlated with suicide risk, impulsive personality, and PCSA (P < 0.05). The total indirect effect of PCSA and sense of security on impulsive personality and suicide risk was 35.43%, with the mediating effect of PCSA and sense of security contributing 16.53% and 15.75%, respectively. PCSA and sense of security exhibited a chain mediating effect between impulsive personality and suicide risk, accounting for 3.15%.

Conclusion: The suicide risk of adolescents with depression is significantly associated with impulsive personality, PCSA, and sense of security. Impulsive personality affects the suicide risk of adolescents with depression both directly and indirectly, with the latter occurring via PCSA and sense of security.