Resilience Among Men Farmers: The Protective Roles of Social Support and Sense of Belonging in the Depression-Suicidal Ideation Relation

Abstract

This study investigated the applicability of 3 models of resiliency for the prediction of suicidal ideation from depression (the risk factor) and social support and sense of belonging (the protective factors). A sample of 99 Australian men farmers completed measures of depression, suicidal ideas, social support, and sense of belonging. Sense of belonging compensated for high levels of depression, and social support, sense of belonging, and an increasing number of protective factors each weakened the depression–suicidal ideation relation. The findings are limited because of the small sample and reliance on self-report measures, but suggest that increasing social support and sense of belonging may benefit the mental health of men farmers.

We thank Professor Rapson Gomez for his advice on statistical analyses.

Notes

∗p <.001.

∗p <.05. ∗∗p<.01. ∗∗∗p<.001.