The Mediating Roles of Rumination and Resilience in the Association Between Borderline Personality Features and Suicidality in College Students

Objective: This study investigates the prevalent characteristics of suicidality in college students with borderline personality (BP) features. In addition, it explores the relationship between BP features and suicidality and analyzes related psychological mechanisms. Methods: The study encompassed 6,854 college students from 12 universities in Southern China from October to December 2020. The subjects completed a general information questionnnaire, Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire 4+, ruminative responses scale, 10 items in the Connor-Davidson resilience scale, and an assessment for suicidality. Results: Among all participants, subjects with BP features reported higher rates of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt than those without BP features, and the differences were statistically significant (all p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that resilience served as a significant protective factor against both suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt in both females and males (all p<0.05). Higher borderline personality disorder (BPD) score emerged as risk factor for suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt in both females and males (all p<0.001). Symptom rumination was a risk factor for suicidal ideation in both females and males (all p<0.001). Reflection was a risk factor for suicidal attempt in both males and females (all p<0.05). Resilience and symptom rumination mediated the relationship between BPD score and suicidal ideation in both females and males. Resilience mediated the relationship between BPD score and suicidal attempt only in males. Conclusion: College students with BP features exhibit an elevated rate of suicide-related behaviors. The relationship between BP features and suicidality is mediated by rumination and resilience.