Social Support, Spiritual Well-Being, and Reasons for Living: Their Association with Suicidal Ideation in a Sample of Border-Region Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Suicidal ideation among middle and high school students, particularly in border regions, represents a serious psychological and social concern. Adolescents in these areas may be especially vulnerable because of socioeconomic stressors and limited access to mental health resources; however, factors associated with suicidal ideation in these contexts remain under studied. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the associations between social support, spiritual health, and reasons for living and suicidal ideation among secondary school students in Javanrood, a border county in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical correlational study included middle and high school students aged 12 - 18 years in Javanrood County who were enrolled in selected schools during the 2025 - 2026 academic year. In total, 176 students were selected using random sampling. Data collection instruments included the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation developed by Beck; the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support developed by Zimet, comprising family, peer, and significant-other subscales; the Spiritual Well-Being Scale; and the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents developed by Osman. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses in SPSS version 26. Results: Family support, peer support, spiritual health, and reasons for living were each significantly and negatively correlated with suicidal ideation. Multiple regression analysis showed that these variables together accounted for 69% of the variance in students' suicidal ideation (R2 = 0.69, F = 91.34, P < 0.001). Based on standardized regression coefficients, reasons for living (β = −0.35, P ≤ .001) showed the strongest negative association, followed by spiritual health (β = −0.29, P ≤ 0.001) and overall social support (β = −0.09, P = 0.048). These findings indicate that reasons for living, spiritual health, and social support are negatively associated with adolescents' vulnerability to suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Reasons for living, spiritual health, and family and peer support were significantly associated with lower suicidal ideation among adolescents living in border regions. Future intervention programs that reinforce reasons for living and promote spiritual well-being may be beneficial; however, longitudinal research is needed to confirm these associations. Future studies should examine these associations using longitudinal designs and include clinical samples to improve generalizability.