A Systematic Review on Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Hope and Existential Meaning Correlates

Suicidal thoughts and other depressive symptoms are critical psychological issues that excessively affect young adults. This systematic review assesses the relationship between suicidal thoughts, depression, hope and existential meaning among young adults, incorporating studies from the past decade. The review of related studies involves searching multiple databases including, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2014 and 2024. These include peer-reviewed articles, longitudinal studies, and meta-analyses that focused on depression, hope, suicidal ideation, existential meaning, and meaning in life, among youngsters aged 18-29, with keywords of variables under study being adopted. In all, a total of 74 studies were selected for review. Based on meta-analysis and narrative synthesis, findings revealed that hope and existential meaning act as buffering factors against depression and suicidal ideation among young adults. Moreover, results showed that cultural issues of the protective aspect of meaning and hope dynamics, especially the sub-components of existential meaning (search for meaning and presence of meaning). This study further acknowledges the interplay between the negative and positive existential constructs, as it also opens the window for further research and attracts more attention to something that is crucially needed since the post-covid pandemic in clinical and research settings.