Objective To investigate the influencing factors of suicide risk among university students from single-parent families.

Methods A total of 1 721 individuals from single-parent families (where the parents are single or widowed) were recruited using convenience sampling from 23 163 students at a university in Beijing for an online survey conducted between March and April 2023. The following instruments were used in the study: Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire – Revised (SBQ-R), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 15-item positive subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-P15), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist – Civilian (PCL-C), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the short form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCL-6).

Results Among the 1 465 participants with valid responses, the detection rates for high suicide risk (SBQ-R score ≥ 7) , anxiety (GAD-7 score ≥ 10), depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10), high psychotic-like experiences (CAPE-P15 score ≥ 23), sleep quality problems, and PTSD (PCL-C score ≥ 38) were 13.0%, 8.3%, 13.4%, 11.9%, 19.9%, and 19.7%, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that among university students from single-parent households, being female (odds ratio OR = 1.94, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.37 – 2.75), being an only child (OR = 1.50, 95%CI: 1.05 – 2.16), having depression (OR = 2.20, 95%CI: 1.45 – 3.35), having high levels of psychotic-like experiences (OR = 2.78, 95%CI: 1.82 – 4.23), experiencing poor sleep quality (OR = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.32 – 2.89), and feeling more alone (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.09 – 0.20) were risk factors for high suicide risk. Conversely, being a graduate student (OR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.29 – 0.65) served as a protective factor against high suicide risk.

Conclusion Many factors influence the likelihood of suicide among university students from single-parent households. Targeted treatment and consideration of the mental health concerns of students from single-parent households should be part of the mental health work in universities.