When Pain Meets Support: Psychological Pain, Social Support, and Suicidal Ideation among Pakistani Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is the period of rapid emotional development which is characterized by highly emotional reactivity and increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between psychological pain and suicidal ideation and to examine whether social support moderate this relationship among Pakistani adolescents (N- 237; ages 15-18 years). For this purpose The Psychological Pain Scale, a social support measure, and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation were administered. Using Hayes’ PROCESS Model 1 (moderation), results indicated that psychological pain significantly predicted suicidal ideation (B = .11, p <.001), that the association between psychological pain and suicidal ideation weakened as social support increased (B = -.12, p < .001). Findings support theoretical models of suicide emphasizing agitation and connectedness and suggest that boosting social support may buffer adolescents against the suicidal impact of psychological pain. Implications for prevention, culturally adapted measurement, and avenues for future research are discussed.