Latent Profiles of Psychological Distress and Suicidal Ideation Among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Associated Factors.
- 1School of Public Health Wannan Medical College Wuhu China wnmc.edu.cn.
- 2School of Nursing Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Wuhu China.
Abstract
Background
Psychological distress and suicidal ideation frequently co-occur among nursing students, but their heterogeneity is often overlooked.Objectives
To identify latent profiles of nursing students based on psychological distress and suicidal ideation dimensions, and to explore factors associated with profile membership.Methods
A cross-sectional survey of 1461 Chinese nursing students was conducted. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was applied to psychological distress and suicidal ideation dimensions to identify profiles, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with profile membership.Results
Three latent profiles emerged: C1: Low distress-low suicidal ideation (60.4%), C2: moderate distress-moderate suicidal ideation (30.8%), and C3: high distress-high suicidal ideation (8.8%). Multinomial regression revealed factors associated with C2/C3 vs. C1, including poor sleep quality, internet overuse/addiction, and moderate self-efficacy. Factors associated with lower likelihood of C2 vs. C1 included good academic performance, moderate/high self-esteem, and moderate/high time management skills. Factors associated with higher likelihood of C3 vs. C1 included higher body mass index (BMI), undergraduate institution enrollment, morning/neutral chronotypes, whereas exercise ≥1 time/week and a good parental relationship were associated with lower likelihood of C3 vs. C1.Conclusion
Nursing students exhibit three profiles, with 8.8% belonging to C3. Profile-informed screening and preventive strategies considering factors associated with profile membership (sleep quality, internet addiction, exercise frequency, time management, self-esteem, and self-efficacy) and contextual stressors (institution type, BMI, and parental relationship) may inform future screening approaches for students exhibiting elevated psychological distress and suicidal ideation patterns.
Related
- Cognitive-Affective Factors Associated with Psychological Distress in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Structural Equation Modelling Study
- Early wounds, minds in training: childhood adversity and the mediating effect of psychological distress in suicidal risk among medical students
- Assessing fertility-related quality of life and psychological distress among infertile women: A cross-sectional study
- Sexual Function and Psychological Distress Across Surveillance, Colposcopy, and LEEP in Women with a History of High-Risk HPV Positivity: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Temporal trajectories of psychological distress and financial toxicity among young and middle-aged patients with ischaemic stroke: protocol for a multicentre cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal study
BibTeX
@article{wang2026latent,
title = {{Latent Profiles of Psychological Distress and Suicidal Ideation Among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Associated Factors.}},
author = {Anshi Wang and Jingjing Wan and Qin Yang and Lijun Zhu and Liying Wen and Weiwei Chang and Yu Zhu and Yan Chen and Yuelong Jin and Yingshui Yao},
journal = {Depression and anxiety},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1155/da/9138758},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899146},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Latent Profiles of Psychological Distress and Suicidal Ideation Among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study of Associated Factors.
AU - Anshi Wang
AU - Jingjing Wan
AU - Qin Yang
AU - Lijun Zhu
AU - Liying Wen
AU - Weiwei Chang
AU - Yu Zhu
AU - Yan Chen
AU - Yuelong Jin
AU - Yingshui Yao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Depression and anxiety
DO - 10.1155/da/9138758
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42899146
AB - Background Psychological distress and suicidal ideation frequently co-occur among nursing students, but their heterogeneity is often overlooked.Objectives To identify latent profiles of nursing students based on psychological distress and suicidal ideation dimensions, and to explore factors associated with profile membership.Methods A cross-sectional survey of 1461 Chinese nursing students was conducted. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was applied to psychological distress and suicidal ideation dimensions to identify profiles, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with profile membership.Results Three latent profiles emerged: C1: Low distress-low suicidal ideation (60.4%), C2: moderate distress-moderate suicidal ideation (30.8%), and C3: high distress-high suicidal ideation (8.8%). Multinomial regression revealed factors associated with C2/C3 vs. C1, including poor sleep quality, internet overuse/addiction, and moderate self-efficacy. Factors associated with lower likelihood of C2 vs. C1 included good academic performance, moderate/high self-esteem, and moderate/high time management skills. Factors associated with higher likelihood of C3 vs. C1 included higher body mass index (BMI), undergraduate institution enrollment, morning/neutral chronotypes, whereas exercise ≥1 time/week and a good parental relationship were associated with lower likelihood of C3 vs. C1.Conclusion Nursing students exhibit three profiles, with 8.8% belonging to C3. Profile-informed screening and preventive strategies considering factors associated with profile membership (sleep quality, internet addiction, exercise frequency, time management, self-esteem, and self-efficacy) and contextual stressors (institution type, BMI, and parental relationship) may inform future screening approaches for students exhibiting elevated psychological distress and suicidal ideation patterns.
SN - 1091-4269
SN - 1520-6394
ER -