The correlation between suicidal ideation, sense of meaning in life, and perceived social support among Chinese adolescent patients with mental disorders

Background To investigate the correlation between suicidal ideation, sense of meaning in life, and perceived social support among adolescent patients with mental disorders, and to provide a scientific basis for suicide prevention and intervention in this population. Aims To explore the relationship between suicidal ideation, sense of meaning in life, and perceived social support among adolescent patients with mental disorders. Methods A cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling were employed. A total of 245 adolescent patients with mental disorders hospitalized at Hunan Provincial Brain Hospital from January to May 2024 were included. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Adolescent Suicidal Ideation Scale, the Sense of Meaning in Life Scale (MLS), and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Pearson correlation analysis examined relationships among suicidal ideation, sense of meaning in life, and perceived social support. Structural equation modeling was performed using AMOS 24.0 to validate the mediation model. A total of 265 questionnaires were distributed, and 245 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding a valid response rate of 92.5%. Results The mean score for perceived social support among the participants was 43.61 ± 15.41, the mean total score for sense of meaning in life was 37.78 ± 12.38, and the mean total score for suicidal ideation was 43.39 ± 13.61. Perceived social support negatively correlated with suicidal ideation ( r = -0.620, P < 0.01). Sense of meaning in life negatively correlated with suicidal ideation ( r = -0.628, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with perceived social support ( r = 0.548, P < 0.01). Structural equation modeling indicated that perceived social support partially mediated the relationship between sense of meaning in life and suicidal ideation (β = -0.691, P < 0.001), accounting for 34.3% of the total effect. Conclusions Perceived social support is a mediator between sense of meaning in life and suicidal ideation among adolescent patients with mental disorders. Medical staff should implement interventions that enhance perceived social support by improving patients’ sense of meaning in life to reduce suicidal ideation.