Perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation: parallel mediating roles of non-suicidal self-injury and digital self-harm and the moderating role of psychological capital
AI Summary
Perceived burdensomeness predicts suicidal ideation directly and indirectly through parallel mediators: non-suicidal self-injury and digital self-harm.
Psychological capital buffers the effect of digital self-harm on suicidal ideation; digital self-harm relates to ideation only among individuals with low psychological capital.
Non-suicidal self-injury mediates the burdensomeness-ideation link but its effect is not moderated by psychological capital, indicating context-specific protection.
Front Psychol. 2026 May 4;17:1818894. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1818894. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is a key predictor of suicidal behavior, yet less is known about how interpersonal risk factors translate into suicidal ideation through both offline and online self-harm behaviors, and under what conditions these pathways may be buffered. Grounded in the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide, this study examined the parallel mediating roles of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and digital self-harm in the association between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation, as well as the moderating role of psychological capital.
METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 2,167 Chinese college students (68.6% female; Mage = 18.91 years, SD = 1.31) via an online survey.
RESULTS: Parallel mediation analyses showed that perceived burdensomeness was significantly associated with suicidal ideation both directly and indirectly through NSSI and digital self-harm. Moderated mediation analyses further revealed that psychological capital significantly moderated the association between digital self-harm and suicidal ideation, but not the association between NSSI and suicidal ideation. Specifically, digital self-harm was positively related to suicidal ideation only among individuals with low psychological capital.
CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the dual behavioral pathways linking perceived burdensomeness to suicidal ideation and identify psychological capital as a context-specific protective factor that buffers suicide risk in digital self-harm contexts.
PLoS One. 2026 May 20;21(5):e0345048. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0345048. eCollection 2026.ABSTRACTSocial norms define what is acceptable and appropriate for women and men, boys and girls, in a...
J Healthc Manag. 2026 May-Jun 01;71(3):199-211. doi: 10.1097/JHM-D-24-00249.ABSTRACTGOAL: Violence against psychiatric healthcare workers in inpatient units is prevalent and often the result of a series...
Horm Behav. 2026 May 20;182:105949. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2026.105949. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTSocial play is a rewarding behavior shown across juvenile mammalian species and is important for...
JMIR Form Res. 2026 May 20;10:e64409. doi: 10.2196/64409.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is an important aspect of every chronic disease, including interstitial lung disease (ILD)....
JMIR Form Res. 2026 May 20;10:e86698. doi: 10.2196/86698.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a mental disorder marked by persistent somatic symptoms and maladaptive health-related thoughts,...
JMIR Form Res. 2026 May 20;10:e90532. doi: 10.2196/90532.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Simple behavioral and cognitive actions can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, there is limited research...
