Suicidal Ideation, Depression, and Aggression Among Students of Three Universities of Isfahan, Iran in 2008

OBJECTIVE University students' mental health affects not only their educational achievements, but also their professional future. The authors assessed the prevalence of suicidal ideation, depression, and aggression among students of three major universities in Isfahan, Iran. METHODS In 2008, 470 students were entered into the study using a convenience sampling method. The three measurement tools applied were Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ), Beck Depression Inventor (BDI), and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI). RESULTS Suicidal ideation was present in 7.58% of the students, depression in 28.04%, and aggression in 30.11% of them. The ratio of depression to suicidal ideation was approximately 4:1. No significant difference in the mean scores of aggression, depression, and suicidal ideation was observed between the three universities. No significant relationships were found between mean scores of aggression, depression, and suicidal ideation with age and gender. There was no meaningful relationship between the mean scores of aggression and marriage status, but the mean scores of depression (P = 0.01) and suicidal ideation (P = 0.0001) were significantly lower in the married students compared to the single ones. Aggression was significantly associated with depression and suicidal ideation (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION The frequency of suicidal ideation, aggression, and depression was less in our studied college students than in previous non-Iranian studies. The decreasing trend in reported frequency of mild depression during previous years is a noticeable finding. Yet, the findings seek more preventing programs among college students.