Depression, delinquency, and suicidal behaviors among college students.
BACKGROUND
Liu (2004) investigated the interaction between delinquency and depression among adolescents and found that delinquency moderated the relationship between depression and suicidal behaviors.


OBJECTIVE
This study also explored the relationship between depression, delinquency, and suicidal behaviors, although delinquency was expected to mediate, as opposed to moderate, the relationship between depression and suicidal behaviors.


METHODS
The participants comprised 354 college students. The students completed a series of questionnaires measuring delinquent behavior, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.


RESULTS
Contrary to Liu's (2004) findings, delinquency was found not to moderate but rather to partially mediate the relationship between depression and suicidal behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that for some college students, depression is associated with delinquent behaviors, which, in turn, are associated with suicidal behaviors.
<location>Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA</location>
Rebecca L
RL
Bauer
<location>John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA</location>
Megan S
MS
Chesin
<location>John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA</location>
Elizabeth L
EL
Jeglic
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
college students; delinquency; depression; suicidal behaviors