Financial Hardship and Suicide Risk Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress

Background: Suicide remains a critical public health concern, with financial hardship increasingly recognized as a contributing risk factor. Adolescents facing economic strain often report elevated emotional distress, which may escalate to suicidal ideation or behaviors. However, few studies have examined the underlying mechanisms linking financial hardship to suicide risk. Grounded in the Family Stress Model (FSM), the study tested the relationship between financial hardship and suicide risk. We also tested the potential mediating role of psychological distress on the association between financial hardship and suicide risk. Two key research questions guided the study: (1) what is the nature of the relationship between financial hardship and suicide risk? and (2) to what extent is the relationship mediated by feelings of distress?

Method: This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) and data from the Ghana Youth Mental Health Survey (GYMHS) to test the hypothesized mediating role of psychological distress on financial hardship and suicide risk. The measurement of variables and structural models were deemed acceptable if the χ²/df ratio < 2, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was ≤ .06, and the comparative fit index (CFI) and the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) were > .95. Invariance testing was also conducted to examine the gender differences in the structural paths.

Results: Our hypothesized mediation model revealed that psychological distress mediated the relationship between financial hardship and suicide risk (β_{indirect effect} = .09, p < .001, 95% CI [.06, .12]), confirming our hypothesis. Adolescents who experience higher financial hardship tend to experience a higher risk of suicide ideation than those adolescents with lower to no family financial hardship (β = 0.07, SE = .03, p < .05). We also observe a slight positive indirect association between financial hardship and suicide risk among adolescent females (β_{indirect effect} = .06, SE=.01, p < .001) than adolescent males (β_{indirect effect} = .05, SE=.01, p < .001). This indicates that females are at a higher risk of experiencing suicidal ideation than their male counterparts.

Conclusion and Implication: These findings emphasize the significance of incorporating household economic security and enhancing psychosocial support in mental health programs for adolescents in low-resource settings. Focusing on elevating financial strain along with psychological distress may not only improve the overall mental health of youth but also serve as a critical strategy for suicide prevention. Integrating economic and educational empowerment components into suicide-related interventions that target youth and their families' needs could mitigate underlying stressors that contribute to suicidal behavior, while targeted emotional support may address the immediate mental health needs of youth due to the impact of financial hardship.