Psychiatry researchDec 13, 2023

Suicidal thoughts over 12 months in college students before and during the pandemic

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 30, 2026

Abstract

Data from 1,216 college students indicated no significant change in 12-month suicidal ideation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

No significant increase in suicidal thoughts was observed during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic times.
The odds of experiencing 12-month suicidal ideation were not significantly associated with the pandemic period after adjusting for prior mental health issues.
Incidence and persistence of suicidal ideation also showed no significant change during the pandemic.
The findings suggest stability in suicidal thoughts among college students, but further research with larger samples and longer follow-up is needed.

Simplified

The present study explored whether there had been significant changes in 12-month suicidal thoughts, incidence, and persistence of suicidal ideation among college students prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were drawn from the French portion of the World Mental Health International College student Survey Initiative (WMH-ICS), a prospective cohort survey initiated in 2017. Students who completed both the baseline and one-year follow-up surveys were included (n = 1,216). Lifetime suicidal ideation and behaviors and mental disorders were assessed at baseline, and 12-month suicidal ideation and behaviors were also assessed at one-year follow-up. Logistic regressions were used to determine whether the odds of 12-month suicidal ideation at follow-up was associated with COVID-19 pandemic period while adjusting for lifetime psychopathology. No significant change in the odds of 12-month suicidal ideation was observed during the pandemic when compared to pre-pandemic times. Adjusting for prior psychopathology, 12-month suicidal ideation was not significantly associated with pandemic times, nor was incidence or persistence. No evidence of a significant increase in suicidal thoughts during the pandemic was observed. Longer follow-up periods and larger samples are needed in order to determine whether suicidal ideation and behaviors remain stable in the future.

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Suicidal thoughts over 12 months in college students before and during the pandemic

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