The Role of Cognitive Flexibility and Perceived Social Support in Predicting Suicidal Tendency in University Students

Background and Aim: Students entering a new place of education will expose them to psychosocial stress, including suicide, which can lead to many abnormalities in them. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the role of cognitive flexibility and perceived social support in predicting suicidal tendency in medical students. Materials and Methods: The research method was correlation. All students of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences in 2016-17 comprised statistical population of this study. Among them, 220 students were selected using available sampling method. And they responded to the questionnaire, Cognitive Flexibility (CFI) Denis and Vendorall, the perceived social support of Zimman et al. And Self-Repression (SBQ-R). Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: Findings showed that there is a significant negative correlation between cognitive flexibility and perceived social support with suicidal tendency of students. Also, the results of regression showed that 22 and 24 percent of the variance of suicide was predicted by the components of cognitive flexibility and perceived social support, and also the components of different options and friends support more than other components Prevents suicidal tendencies. Conclusion: So, it can be concluded that cognitive flexibility and perceived social support are effective in predicting suicidal tendencies in students.