Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Associate Professor of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine,Zahedan University of Medical Sciences,Zahedan,Iran.
2
Department of Biostatistics, factuly of health, Zahedan university of medical sciences, zahedan, iran.
3
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine,Zahedan University of Medical Sciences,Zahedan.Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Medical students are highly susceptible to psychological distress, including anxiety and suicidal ideation, due to intense academic and clinical pressures. Personality traits may act as either vulnerability or resilience factors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality and suicidal ideation among medical students.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 on 170 medical students at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling across different academic stages. Data were collected using the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), and a demographic questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients via SPSS version 22
Results: The results indicated a significant relationship between personality dimensions and the severity of suicidal ideation. Neuroticism showed a significant positive correlation with suicidal ideation scores (r=0.543,p=0.001) Conversely, Conscientiousness (r=−0.343,p=0.001), Openness to Experience (r=−0.483,p=0.001), Extraversion (r=−0.422,p=0.001), and Agreeableness (r=−0.369,p=0.001) demonstrated significant negative correlations. No significant relationship was found between gender and suicidal ideation (p=0.1). Furthermore, the mean scores of suicidal ideation differed across educational levels; specifically, students in clinical stages (clerkship and internship) reported significantly higher levels of suicidal ideation compared to those in preclinical stages. (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that neuroticism serves as a significant risk factor for the emergence of suicidal ideation and anxiety, whereas conscientiousness and agreeableness play a protective role in reducing the intensity of these thoughts. Accordingly, early identification of students with vulnerable personality profiles and the provision of targeted psychological interventions during the transition to clinical stages could be an effective step toward promoting mental health and preventing suicide within the medical student population.
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