Psychosocial Predictors of Suicidal Ideation in Mexican Adolescents: The Role of Gender, Bullying, and Intrafamilial Violence

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation (SI) is a leading mental‑health concern among Latin‑American adolescents, yet evidence from Mexico remains scarce. Objective: To identify psychosocial predictors of SI in Mexican secondary‑school students, with specific attention to gender, bullying, violence, and academic performance. METHODS: A cross‑sectional survey of 278 adolescents (ages 12-18) in Veracruz employed the Reynolds Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire and structured items on bullying, family violence, and scholastic variables. Independent‑samples t tests, χ² tests, ANOVA, and multivariable regression models were run in R (2024.03). RESULTS: Moderate‑to‑high SI was present in 37.4 % of participants. Female sex (OR = 3.18, 95 % CI 1.17-7.86, p =.022) and lower academic performance (β = 7.03, p =.027) independently predicted SI after adjustment. Bullying and family violence were strong bivariate correlates but lost significance in fully adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: Gendered vulnerability and academic disengagement outweigh bullying and intrafamilial violence as independent correlates of SI. School‑centred, gender‑responsive mental‑health screening that integrates academic support is warranted. Longitudinal research should clarify causal pathways and evaluate AI‑enabled early‑warning systems in low‑ and middle‑income settings.