College Student Polyvictimization: The Role of Resilience and Social Support in Suicidal Thoughts/Behaviors

Background

Polyvictimization refers to individuals’ exposure to multiple types of victimization, including physical abuse/neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, violence, or bullying experiences (Finkelhor et al., 2005). The scientific literature indicates that individuals who have experienced childhood adversity are more likely to be vulnerable to bullying victimization in school and college (Hamby et al., 2018; Jenkins et al., 2021; Reisen et al., 2019), and polyvictimized individuals are more prone to exhibit risky health behaviors, such as mental distress, drug use, risky sexual behaviors, and suicidal behaviors (Alexander et al., 2018; Cénat et al., 2021). According to the Schematic Appraisals Model of Suicide (SAMS; Johnson et al., 2008), individuals experiencing a stressful life event may develop self-perceived defeat (i.e., a sense of failed struggle) and entrapment (i.e., a feeling that all escape routes are blocked), potentially increasing suicidality. However, positive self-appraisal, acting as a protective factor, can mitigate the likelihood of defeat and entrapment, thereby reducing suicidality. The stress and coping theory posits that cognitive appraisal can be either positive or negative (Smith & Lazarus, 1990). Applying the Schematic Appraisal Model of Suicide framework, this study examines whether resilience acts as a mediator and perceived social support as a moderator in understanding the relationship between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors among college students.

Methods

The 790 samples (ages 18-31) were collected from four universities across the mid-western, south-central, and southern U.S. regions using a cross-sectional study and convenience sampling. This was a self-administered online survey conducted using Qualtrics and QuestionPro from November 2022 to January 2023. The independent variable was polyvictimization (abusive childhood experience + bullying victimization), the dependent variable was suicidal thoughts/behaviors, resilience was a mediator, and perceived social support was a moderator. To examine this study, a moderated mediation model was employed by using PROCESS Macro 4.2 (Model 4 & 5) in SPSS 29.0 software (Hayes, 2022).

Results

Results showed that polyvictimization was associated with suicidal thoughts/behaviors (c’: β = 4.53, SE = .57, 95% BCa CI [3.413, 5.64]). Resilience mediated the effect of polyvictimization on suicidal thoughts/behaviors (ab: β = .347, SE = .16, 95% BCa CI [.053, .679]). Also, perceived social support had a significant moderating effect on the association between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors (β = -.071, SE = .034, 95% BCa CI [-.138, -.004]).

Conclusions and Implications

Results indicate a positive association between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Resilience shows an indirect association between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Perceived social support, as a moderator, explains the association between polyvictimization and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. For polyvictimized college students, both resilience and perceived social support can serve as protective factors against suicidal thoughts/behaviors. The study provides insight for implementing campus-wide intervention programs to enhance college students’ resilience and interaction skills, contributing to preventing polyvictimized individuals’ suicidal thoughts/behaviors.