Psychopathology and self-harm among incoming first-year students in six Mexican universities.

Background: Suicide and suicidal behaviors were already a global public health problem, producing preventable injuries and deaths. This issue may worsen due to the COVID-19 pandemic and may differentially affect vulnerable groups in the population, including children, adolescents, and young adults. The current study evaluated the association of affective variables (depression, hopelessness, and anxiety), drug use (alcohol, tobacco, and others), emotional intelligence, and attachment with suicidal behaviors. Methods: A state-wide survey included 8033 students (51% female, 49% male; mean age of 16 years) from science and technology high-schools using a standardized questionnaire that was distributed online. Multinomial logistic regression models tested associations between suicidal behaviors and several covariates. The analyses accommodated the complex structure of the sample. Results: Approximately 21% of all students reported a suicidal behavior (11% with a low-lethality suicide attempt, 6% with self-injuries, and 4% with a high-lethality suicide attempt). Variables associated with higher odds of suicidal behavior included: female sex, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, alcohol and tobacco use, childhood trauma, and having to self-rely as issues affecting attachment, and low self-esteem. Security of attachment was associated with lower odds of suicidal behavior. Conclusions: The complexity of suicidal behavior makes it clear that comprehensive programs need to be implemented.

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Objective. To compare the occurrence of suicide attempts across nationally representative samples of the Mexican adolescent population over the past 12 years, and to analyze its association with sociodemographic, lifestyle and mental-health indicators. Methodology. Data were drawn from the 2006, 2012 and 2018 National Health and Nutrition Surveys (n = 25,056; 21,509; and 17,925 adolescents, respectively). Estimates were based on standardized measurements. Results. The estimated lifetime prevalence rates of suicide attempts were 1.1% in 2006, 2.7% in 2012, and 3.9% in 2018, indicating a 3.4-fold increase. Across the three survey periods, women yielded rates nearly three times higher than men. Lifetime prevalence grew the most among adolescents aged 13–15 years. Compared to the other respondents, the odds of lifetime suicide attempts proved seven times as high for those who had been sexually abused during their childhood, five times as high for those who had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder, three times as high for those who had suffered physical aggression and twice as high for those who had smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lifetimes and those who consumed alcohol. Conclusion: The sharp increase in suicide attempts in Mexico calls for an urgent public-health response via universal and targeted interventions supported by national policy and sustained federal funding.