Objective: Internal shame and external shame are two facets of shame that influence suicide ideation (Gilbert et al., 2003). However, the mechanisms through which these factors affect suicide ideation in college students require further investigation. This study explores the roles of internal and external shame in suicide ideation among Chinese college students, with a focus on the mediating role of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, grounded in Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide (Joiner et al., 2005; Van Orden et al., 2008).
Methods: A sample of 377 Chinese college students (ages 19-25, M = 19.97, SD = 0.82) completed measures of internal shame, external shame, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicide ideation. Demographic variables (age, gender, only child status, single-parent status, religious belief, and parental marital status) were also collected. Descriptive statistics and intercorrelations were computed using SPSS 24.0. Mediation models were tested with Mplus 7.4. Internal shame, external shame, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness were treated as latent variables, while suicide ideation was treated as an observed variable.
Results & Discussion: The prevalence of suicide ideation and suicide attempts among the sample were 11.9% and 5.9%, respectively. A significant difference in suicide ideation was found based on parental marital status, with higher scores in participants from disrupted marriages. After controlling for this variable, perceived burdensomeness plays a mediating role in the relationship between internal shame, external shame and suicide ideation. The mediating effect of thwarted belongingness was not significant. This may be due to the unique characteristics of the college student population, who often rely heavily on external support (e.g., parents, scholarships) both financially and psychologically. Failing to meet academic expectations from parents and schools may more likely lead them to perceive death as more valuable to their family, friends, and society than life (Joiner et al., 2009). In addition, unlike internal shame, which only indirectly affects suicide ideation, external shame also has a direct impact. This may be because, to some extent, external shame (i.e., how others perceive oneself) makes individuals aware that they have lost the approval of important others in their social environment. While the self-disturbance caused by internal shame may also be painful external shame reflects a more primal anxiety related to the threat of abandonment or rejection, which is evolutionarily rooted, and may be accompanied by more severe psychological distress (e.g., depression) (Leary, 2007).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness is a key mediator in the relationship between shame and suicide ideation. Additionally, external shame has a stronger impact on suicide ideation than internal shame, as it not only indirectly influences suicide ideation but also has exerts a significant direct effect. This study provides valuable insights into the interpersonal dynamics of suicide ideation and offers practical implications for interventions targeting shame and perceived burdensomeness in college student populations.

suicide ideation, internal shame, external shame, perceived burdensomeness, Chinese college students