Health Psychology Research / HPR / Volume 13 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.14440/hpr.2700324
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Psychological Intervention for Pre-Suicidal Attitudes in Youth

Aliya Mambetalina1 ,  Zhanar Kereimaganbetova2 ,  Gulnaz Ganiyeva1 ,  Gulpara Zhukenova3 ,  Bibianar Baizhumanova1 ,  Ainura Sissenova1*
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1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
2 Department of Special Pedagogy and Psychology, Faculty of Pedagogy and Management in Education, K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
3 Department of Pedagogy, Graduate School of Education, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
HPR 2025 , 13(2), e81240013; https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.2700324
Submitted: 7 April 2025 | Accepted: 7 April 2025 | Published: 25 June 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). Licensee Health Psychology Research, USA. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background

Suicide cases among youth, unfortunately, are common, highlighting the need for psychological interventions as preventive measures.

Objective

The primary objective of this study is to identify the factors contributing to the development of pre-suicidal attitudes among youth in Kazakhstan.

Methods

This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (CBT-SP) and provided recommendations for its improvement. A total of 753 first- to third-year university students in Kazakhstan participated in the study. Among them, 165 (21.91%) reported suicidal ideation ranging from mild to severe, and 71 of these respondents took part in the CBT-SP intervention. The Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation served as the primary assessment tool.

Results

Several key factors significantly influencing the development of pre-suicidal attitudes were identified. The strongest predictors included experiences of bullying (β = 0.421, p=0.0001), exposure to traumatic events (β = 0.397, p=0.0008), and low social support (β = 0.386, p=0.0005). Analysis of pre- and post-test data revealed a significant reduction in suicidal ideation following CBT-SP, with the most substantial decrease observed among participants with severe suicidal ideation (a reduction of 7.53 points, p=0.000).

Conclusion

Interviews with intervention participants offer valuable insights that inform recommendations for improving the effectiveness of CBT-SP. These findings hold both scientific and practical significance, providing guidance for developing and enhancing suicide prevention strategies at the institutional level.

Keywords
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Pre-suicidal attitudes
Psychological intervention
Suicide
Youth
Funding
This study was conducted as part of the scientific and techni¬cal project funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, titled “Pre-suicidal Attitudes as a Comprehensive Indicator and Monitoring Object: A Population Study of Youth and Young Adults in Kazakhstan” (IRN BR24993083). The fund¬ing agency is the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
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Conflict of interest
The research has no conflicts of interest.
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