Open Access

ARTICLE

Existential isolation and suicidal ideation among college students: The mediating effect of entrapment and the moderating effect of authenticity

Xin Mi^1,*, Xincheng Li^2,*

1 School of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
2 Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China

* Corresponding Authors: Xin Mi. Email: ; Xincheng Li. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2026, 36(4), 731-740. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.081616

Received 05 March 2026; Accepted 23 June 2026; Issue published 31 August 2026

Abstract

Objective: To examine the influence of existential isolation on suicidal ideation among college students, as well as the mediating effect of entrapment and the moderating effect of authenticity. Method: A total of 1694 Chinese college students (67.06% female; mean age = 20.01 ± 1.37 years) were recruited as participants. Data were collected using the Existential Isolation Scale, Suicide Behavior Screening Questionnaire (SBSQ), Entrapment Scale and Authenticity Scale. With demographic covariates such as gender and age held constant, the bias-corrected bootstrap method was adopted to test the mediating and moderating effects. Results: (1) Existential isolation was a significant positive predictor of suicidal ideation among college students. (2) Entrapment had a significant mediating effect linking existential isolation to suicidal ideation. (3) Authenticity exerted a significant moderating effect on the relationships between existential isolation and suicidal ideation, existential isolation and entrapment, as well as entrapment and suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Existential isolation has both a direct impact on suicidal ideation and an indirect impact through entrapment. Higher levels of existential isolation are associated with stronger entrapment among college students, which in turn increases their suicidal ideation. High authenticity can not only weaken the effects of existential isolation on entrapment and suicidal ideation, but also reduce the adverse impact of entrapment on suicidal ideation.

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Keywords

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