silent struggles: age-specific patterns of suicidal ideation and protective factors in kermanshah

Background :suicide remains a pressing public health concern across the lifespan. while younger adults frequently become the focus of prevention efforts, older adults — particularly in culturally conservative contexts like kermanshah, iran — face underexplored risks and protective dynamics related to suicidal ideation. objectives :this study aimed to compare the prevalence and nature of suicidal ideation, as well as the strength of protective beliefs [reasons for living (rfl)] between young (18 - 25 years) and elderly (≥ 60 years) individuals in kermanshah. the goal was to explore how age and cultural factors shape psychological vulnerability and resilience. materials and methods :the study population consisted of elderly individuals (aged 60 and above) and young adults (aged 18 to 25) residing in kermanshah province, iran. a total of 124 participants completed the persian versions of the beck scale for suicide ideation (bssi) and the rfl inventory. independent t-tests and mann-whitney u tests were used to assess differences in suicidal ideation and rfl subscale scores between age groups. effect sizes were also calculated. results :mild levels of suicidal ideation were reported by 65% of youth, and 59% of elderly participants showed mild suicidal ideation (bssi ≥ 1), though only 6% had severe scores (bssi ≥ 15). however, older adults scored significantly higher on rfl subscales related to moral objections, family responsibility, and concern for children (p < 0.01), suggesting culturally embedded protective factors. effect sizes ranged from small to moderate (cohen's d = 0.28 - 0.46). conclusions :although suicidal ideation levels were comparable across age groups, older adults demonstrated stronger culturally-informed protective beliefs. these findings underscore the need for suicide prevention strategies that are culturally sensitive and age-specific, incorporating family and moral frameworks, especially in non-western settings.