Academic performance, subsequent socioeconomic status and suicide attempt in adulthood: path analyses on Swedish cohort data

Abstract

BackgroundPoor academic performance in childhood is associated with suicide attempt in adulthood, but the mechanisms are not known. We investigated educational attainment as a possible pathway.MethodsWe followed two sets of cohorts, born around 1950/1970, respectively, in the Swedish population-representative ‘Evaluation Through Follow-up’ study for a first suicide attempt in national records up to 2013. Data on grade point average (GPA) at age 13/16 and educational attainment (years of schooling) in adulthood were used. The path models included linear and Cox proportional hazards regressions. A model with matched age range during follow-up was used to compare the cohorts.ResultsIn the 1970 cohort, the association between GPA and suicide attempt between age 26 and 46 was partly mediated by attained education (total association, β=−0.82; via education: −0.29, per SD increase in GPA), but GPA also had a direct path to suicide attempt (β=−0.53). There was no evidence of such a pathway in the 1950 cohort between age 41 and 65. In the age-matched analysis, at age 26–46, the association between GPA and suicide attempt was stronger in the 1970 cohort compared to the 1950 cohort (β=−0.72 and −0.24, respectively).ConclusionsDifferences in attained education seem to partly explain the associations of academic performance with suicide attempt up to middle age. Furthermore, there is some indication that academic performance may have become more important for young people’s mental health than it was in previous generations.

Prevalência de ideação suicida e correlação com características sociais e demográficas de entre universitários

“…O alto nível de exigência por parte das instituições, associado ao excesso de conteúdo e diminuição do tempo de lazer são fatores agravantes e, até mesmo, desencadeantes do processo de ideação suicida (CERQUEIRA; SOUZA, 2022). Esses elementos, ainda, prejudicam o rendimento acadêmico dos estudantes, o qual leva essas pessoas a um processo de depressão e, posteriormente, a pensamentos suicidas, configurando-se como mais um fator de risco (WALLIN, 2020;CRISPIM, 2021).…”

Can psychosocial risk factors mediate the association between precarious employment and mental health problems in Sweden? Results from a register-based study

“…Workers' mental health was measured through diagnosed CMD (depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders; ICD-10 codes F32, F33, F41, F43), and alcohol and substance use disorders (ICD-10 codes F10-F19) reported in the in-and outpatient registers during the follow-up period (2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016). Like previous studies, only suicide attempts (ICD-10 codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34) reported in the inpatient register were included (27,28). Both registers are national and comprehensive of the Swedish population.…”

Association between childhood cognitive skills & adult suicidal behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Ten studies investigated the association between cognitive skills and suicide attempt (Alati et al, 2009;Batty et al, 2010;Hansson Bittar et al, 2019;Kosidou et al, 2013;Kosik et al, 2017;Osler et al, 2008;Sorberg Wallin et al, 2020;Sorberg Wallin et al, 2017;Sourander et al, 2009), while 16 studies investigated the association with suicide mortality (Alaraisanen et al, 2006;Andersson et al, 2008;Batty et al, 2009;Bjorkenstam et al, 2010;Calvin et al, 2017;Geoffroy et al, 2014;Gravseth et al, 2010;Gunnell et al, 2011;Gunnell et al, 2005;Hansson Bittar et al, 2019;Richard-Devantoy et al, 2021;Sourander et al, 2009;Webb et al, 2010;Weiser et al, 2015;Werbeloff et al, 2009).…”

“…Seven out of 10 studies reported an association between lower childhood cognitive skills and increased risk of suicide attempt in adulthood (Alati et al, 2009;Batty et al, 2010;Hansson Bittar et al, 2019;Kosidou et al, 2013;Osler et al, 2008;Sorberg Wallin et al, 2017), while three studies did not find evidence for this association (Kosik et al, 2017;Sorberg Wallin et al, 2020;Sourander et al, 2009). Sorberg Wallin et al (2020) and Sorberg Wallin et al (2017) found that attained education and GPA, respectively, mediated the association between IQ and suicidal behavior (see Table S2 for a summary of mediators, moderators, and confounding factors investigated in the included studies).…”