The relationship between suicide and hopelessness in young adults aged 18-30: A systematic review

Abstract

Objectives: This review presents a number of studies that assessed the concept of hopelessness in individuals aged 18 to 30 with a history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Methods: The Turkish Citation Index, TR Index, Turkish Psychiatric Index, Wiley Online Library, PubMed, and Science Direct databases were reviewed between January and February 2021, and 18 qualitative and quantitative studies published between 2016 and 2020 were selected. The 27-item Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses Checklist was used to evaluate the reporting characteristics. Results: The findings of 18 articles were reviewed and presented. The search revealed no studies examining suicide and hopelessness in Türkiye. In all, 12 of the studies were descriptive, 2 were randomized controlled studies, 2 were retrospective studies, 1 was a cohort study, 1 was an experimental study, and 1 was a cross-sectional observational study. The data indicated that a greater level of hopelessness was associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Conclusion: Hopelessness is an important predictor of suicide. Greater knowledge and awareness of the complex risk factors for suicide can be used to provide the appropriate early treatment to promote hope, provide coping skills, and prevent suicidal behavior. Additional studies examining the important suicide risk factor of hopelessness in Türkiye are needed.