The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.

Rachel McHugh; Margaret McLafferty; Natasha Brown; Caoimhe Ward; Colum P. Walsh; Anthony J. Bjourson; Louise McBride; John Brady; Siobhan O’Neill; Elaine K. Murray

doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002

The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.

Rachel McHugh
, Margaret McLafferty
, Natasha Brown
, Caoimhe Ward
, Colum P. Walsh
, Anthony J. Bjourson
, Louise McBride
, John Brady
, Siobhan O’Neill
, Elaine K. Murray

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background
Alcohol and drug dependent individuals have consistently exhibited elevated impulsivity and some studies have indicated that impulsivity recorded in young adults predicts future alcohol abuse. Research also indicates that depressed individuals with higher impulsivity are more likely to report suicidal ideation even when they are less depressed, which may indicate that impulsivity could more strongly predict suicidality than severity of depressive symptoms.

Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour and self-harm among students with depression, alcohol and substance abuse disorders.

Materials and methods
Participants were first-year undergraduate students (n = 1829) across Ulster University (NI) and Letterkenny Institute of Technology - now known as Atlantic Technological University Donegal (ROI), who were recruited as part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Participants completed an online survey utilising the WMH-Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC). Mediation analyses were conducted in three different stages.

Results
A high prevalence of depression and substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, plans, attempts and self-harm were observed. Impulsivity was found to partially mediate the association between depression and suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders and suicidal behaviours. Impulsivity was significantly associated with suicide ideation, attempts and self-harm, but not suicide plans. Males were more likely to be impulsive, and higher levels of depression and substance use disorders were related to higher impulsivity.

Conclusions
The main findings of this study reinforce the role of impulsivity in mediating the relationship between depression and suicidality and substance use and suicidality. College wellbeing services may consider whether screening for impulsivity, rather than for example substance abuse, could be more beneficial and less prone to under-reporting, when assessing for suicide risk among vulnerable students.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	89-96
Number of pages	8
Journal	Alcohol
Volume	124
Early online date	16 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 31 May 2025

Bibliographical note

Funding

This work was supported by Cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials In Ireland Network (CHITIN). CHITIN has received €10.6m (or million) funding from the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) with match funding from the Departments of Health in NI and ROI. The views and opinions expressed in this research paper do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission or the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
SEUPB
REC/19/0072

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

alcohol
depression
drugs
impulsivity
mediation
suicide

Access to Document

10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002Licence: CC BY
10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002Licence: CC BY

Cite this

McHugh, R., McLafferty, M., Brown, N., Ward, C., Walsh, C. P., Bjourson, A. J., McBride, L., Brady, J., O’Neill, S., & Murray, E. K. (2025). The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders. Alcohol, 124, 89-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002

@article{85fe7167ebfd4a4b903bacb58a0b896e,

title = "The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.",

abstract = "Background Alcohol and drug dependent individuals have consistently exhibited elevated impulsivity and some studies have indicated that impulsivity recorded in young adults predicts future alcohol abuse. Research also indicates that depressed individuals with higher impulsivity are more likely to report suicidal ideation even when they are less depressed, which may indicate that impulsivity could more strongly predict suicidality than severity of depressive symptoms. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour and self-harm among students with depression, alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Materials and methods Participants were first-year undergraduate students (n = 1829) across Ulster University (NI) and Letterkenny Institute of Technology - now known as Atlantic Technological University Donegal (ROI), who were recruited as part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Participants completed an online survey utilising the WMH-Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC). Mediation analyses were conducted in three different stages. Results A high prevalence of depression and substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, plans, attempts and self-harm were observed. Impulsivity was found to partially mediate the association between depression and suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders and suicidal behaviours. Impulsivity was significantly associated with suicide ideation, attempts and self-harm, but not suicide plans. Males were more likely to be impulsive, and higher levels of depression and substance use disorders were related to higher impulsivity. Conclusions The main findings of this study reinforce the role of impulsivity in mediating the relationship between depression and suicidality and substance use and suicidality. College wellbeing services may consider whether screening for impulsivity, rather than for example substance abuse, could be more beneficial and less prone to under-reporting, when assessing for suicide risk among vulnerable students.",

keywords = "alcohol, depression, drugs, impulsivity, mediation, suicide",

author = "Rachel McHugh and Margaret McLafferty and Natasha Brown and Caoimhe Ward and Walsh, \{Colum P.\} and Bjourson, \{Anthony J.\} and Louise McBride and John Brady and Siobhan O{\textquoteright}Neill and Murray, \{Elaine K.\}",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2025",

month = may,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002",

language = "English",

volume = "124",

pages = "89--96",

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McHugh, R, McLafferty, M, Brown, N, Ward, C, Walsh, CP, Bjourson, AJ, McBride, L, Brady, J, O’Neill, S & Murray, EK 2025, 'The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.', Alcohol, vol. 124, pp. 89-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002

TY - JOUR

T1 - The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.

AU - McHugh, Rachel

AU - McLafferty, Margaret

AU - Brown, Natasha

AU - Ward, Caoimhe

AU - Walsh, Colum P.

AU - Bjourson, Anthony J.

AU - McBride, Louise

AU - Brady, John

AU - O’Neill, Siobhan

AU - Murray, Elaine K.

PY - 2025/5/31

Y1 - 2025/5/31

N2 - Background Alcohol and drug dependent individuals have consistently exhibited elevated impulsivity and some studies have indicated that impulsivity recorded in young adults predicts future alcohol abuse. Research also indicates that depressed individuals with higher impulsivity are more likely to report suicidal ideation even when they are less depressed, which may indicate that impulsivity could more strongly predict suicidality than severity of depressive symptoms. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour and self-harm among students with depression, alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Materials and methods Participants were first-year undergraduate students (n = 1829) across Ulster University (NI) and Letterkenny Institute of Technology - now known as Atlantic Technological University Donegal (ROI), who were recruited as part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Participants completed an online survey utilising the WMH-Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC). Mediation analyses were conducted in three different stages. Results A high prevalence of depression and substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, plans, attempts and self-harm were observed. Impulsivity was found to partially mediate the association between depression and suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders and suicidal behaviours. Impulsivity was significantly associated with suicide ideation, attempts and self-harm, but not suicide plans. Males were more likely to be impulsive, and higher levels of depression and substance use disorders were related to higher impulsivity. Conclusions The main findings of this study reinforce the role of impulsivity in mediating the relationship between depression and suicidality and substance use and suicidality. College wellbeing services may consider whether screening for impulsivity, rather than for example substance abuse, could be more beneficial and less prone to under-reporting, when assessing for suicide risk among vulnerable students.

AB - Background Alcohol and drug dependent individuals have consistently exhibited elevated impulsivity and some studies have indicated that impulsivity recorded in young adults predicts future alcohol abuse. Research also indicates that depressed individuals with higher impulsivity are more likely to report suicidal ideation even when they are less depressed, which may indicate that impulsivity could more strongly predict suicidality than severity of depressive symptoms. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour and self-harm among students with depression, alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Materials and methods Participants were first-year undergraduate students (n = 1829) across Ulster University (NI) and Letterkenny Institute of Technology - now known as Atlantic Technological University Donegal (ROI), who were recruited as part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Participants completed an online survey utilising the WMH-Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC). Mediation analyses were conducted in three different stages. Results A high prevalence of depression and substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, plans, attempts and self-harm were observed. Impulsivity was found to partially mediate the association between depression and suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders and suicidal behaviours. Impulsivity was significantly associated with suicide ideation, attempts and self-harm, but not suicide plans. Males were more likely to be impulsive, and higher levels of depression and substance use disorders were related to higher impulsivity. Conclusions The main findings of this study reinforce the role of impulsivity in mediating the relationship between depression and suicidality and substance use and suicidality. College wellbeing services may consider whether screening for impulsivity, rather than for example substance abuse, could be more beneficial and less prone to under-reporting, when assessing for suicide risk among vulnerable students.

KW - alcohol

KW - depression

KW - drugs

KW - impulsivity

KW - mediation

KW - suicide

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85218445039

U2 - 10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002

DO - 10.1016/j.alcohol.2025.01.002

M3 - Article

C2 - 39826864

SN - 0741-8329

VL - 124

SP - 89

EP - 96

JO - Alcohol

JF - Alcohol

ER -

The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Investigating demographic, psychosocial and epigenetic risk factors for depression in young adults

Cite this

The mediating role of impulsivity on suicidal behaviour among higher education students with depression and substance abuse disorders.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Student theses

Investigating demographic, psychosocial and epigenetic risk factors for depression in young adults

Cite this