Negative automatic thoughts as a mediator of the relationship between depression and suicidal behaviour in an at-risk sample of Malaysian adolescents

Abstract

Background: This study examined the mediating role of negative automatic thoughts in the relationship between depression and suicidal behaviour in a sample of at-risk Malaysian adolescents. Method: A total of 1441 adolescents were initially recruited via multistage cluster sampling. Subsequently, 294 at-risk adolescents were selected for further analyses through a specified cut-off score. Results: The results showed significant positive relationships among the study variables. Specifically, negative automatic thoughts emerged as a significant mediator in the relation between depression and suicidal behaviour (z = 7.15, p < .001). Conclusions: The findings suggest that depressed adolescents are at high risk for a host of negative thought processes which in turn lead to suicidal behaviour. The study limitations and recommendations for further research are discussed.