BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Oct 2;25(1):921. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07439-2.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents represent a highly vulnerable and crucial demographic in the field of mental health research. Unfortunately, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among teenagers worldwide. While symptoms of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are often linked to increased suicidal ideation, school connectedness has been shown to mitigate such risks and promote emotional well-being. Although the association between PLEs and suicidal thoughts is well-documented, there is still a need to further investigate how school connectedness interacts with both PLEs and suicidal ideation to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships.
METHODS: This study employed network analysis to examine the relationships between psychosis-like experiences (PLEs), school connectedness, and suicidal ideation in a sample of 10,409 children and adolescents from five cities in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Data on PLEs (CAPE-P15), suicidal ideation (PANSI), and school connectedness were collected through self-report questionnaires. The data were analyzed via the R language software package to evaluate the correlations involved in school connectedness within the network.
RESULTS: The network analysis indicates that J6 (school connectedness) and D1 (persecutory ideation) are the key nodes of the network. The path of J6 (school connectedness) → G14 (confidence in the future) → suicidal ideation buffers the influence of PLEs. D1 (persecutory ideation) is associated with G3 (Hopelessness) → suicidal ideation. J5 (Teacher support) and J1 (Peer support) alleviate suffering through indirect effects. G3 (Hopelessness) and G12 (Defeat and suicidal thoughts) occupy the core position in the cluster of suicidal ideation. Enhancing school connectedness and reducing paranoia of being victimized are crucial for preventing suicide.
CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that school connectedness is associated with PLEs and suicidal ideation. The findings suggest that school-based programs (peer mentoring, teacher support training, and cognitive restructuring) are effective suicide prevention strategies. Future research should explore longitudinal changes and cultural variations to refine interventions and ensure the sustainability of children’s and adolescents’ mental health improvements.
PMID:41039356 | DOI:10.1186/s12888-025-07439-2
