Suicidal Ideation in Malaysian Young Adults: The Role of Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Problem-Solving Ability

Background: The escalating suicide rates among young adults, including those in Malaysia, necessitate a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to suicidal ideation. This study investigates the relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived problem-solving ability, including problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, personal control of emotion, and suicidal ideation among Malaysian young adults. Methods: A total of 231 Malaysian young adults aged 18 to 25 years (Mean = 21.1; SD = 1.38) participated in a cross-sectional survey study. The sample was primarily composed of participants of Chinese ethnicity. Using an online survey, participants completed measures including the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) depression subscale, Problem-Solving Inventory, and Yatt Suicide Attitude Scale (YSAS). Results: Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between depressive symptoms, perceived problem-solving ability (specifically problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control of emotion), and suicidal ideation. Further analysis through logistic regression revealed that young adults with suicidal ideation exhibited a higher likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms and lower confidence in problem-solving compared to those without suicidal ideation. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of addressing depression and promoting effective problem-solving skills as significant strategies to reduce suicidal risk among young adults. Suicide prevention initiatives should prioritize interventions aimed at improving mental well-being and bolstering problem-solving ability in this vulnerable population

Nanocomposites for engineering applications : editorial

Author name used in this publication: Alan K. T. LauVersion of RecordPublishe

Handgrip strength at midlife and familial longevity

Low handgrip strength has been linked with premature mortality in diverse samples of middle-aged and elderly subjects. The value of handgrip strength as marker of "exceptional" human longevity has not been previously explored. We postulated that the genetic influence on extreme survival might also be involved in the muscular strength determination pathway. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the muscle strength in a sample of middle-aged adults who are genetically enriched for exceptional survival and comparing them to a control group. We included 336 offspring of the nonagenarian from the Leiden Longevity Study who were enriched for heritable exceptional longevity, and 336 of their partners were used as controls. The Leiden Longevity study was a prospective follow up study of long-living siblings pairs together with their offspring and their partners. Handgrip strength was used as a proxy for overall muscle strength. No significant difference in handgrip strength was seen between the offspring of the nonagenarian and their partners after adjustment for potential confounders including body compositions, sum score of comorbidities, medication use, smoking and alcohol history. The main determinants of midlife handgrip strength were age, gender, total body percentage fat and relative appendicular lean mass. Although midlife handgrip strength has previously been shown to be an important prognostic indicator of survival, it is not a marker of exceptional familial longevity in middle-aged adults. This finding suggests that genetic component of susceptibility to extreme survival is likely to be separate from that of muscular strength