Co-Rumination as a Mediator Between Interpersonal Needs and Rumination

Objectives: – Suicidal ideation reflects a person's desire not to survive and, if persistent, can lead to suicide, a significant mental health issue. While various pathways to suicide have been studied, some remain unexplored, particularly the role of individual and social factors. Research identifying these psychosocial mechanisms' impact on suicide risk is essential for informing prevention interventions. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of co-rumination in the relationship between interpersonal needs and suicidal ideation.Methods. – Using a descriptive-correlational approach, we included 304 undergraduate and graduate students selected through convenience sampling from a higher education institution in Mashhad during the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. Data were collected using the Co-Rumination Questionnaire (CRQ), the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), and the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-10 (INQ-10). Path analysis was conducted using SPSS27 and Amos24 to test the study hypotheses.Results. – The analysis revealed that interpersonal needs are a significant predictor of suicidal ideation, both directly and indirectly through co-rumination. Moreover, the fit indices (GFI = .98, CFI = .90, IFI = .90, RMSEA = .08) supported the proposed model.Conclusions. – The results indicate that unmet interpersonal needs increase co-rumination, which subsequently raises suicidal ideation levels. Awareness of this pathway can help develop preventive measures to control and reduce suicidal ideation.