Nurin Batrisyia Mazuki (2026) Social comparison, defeat and entrapment, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal ideation among emerging adults in Malaysia. Masters thesis, Sunway University.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Suicide is a major health concern worldwide, especially among emerging adults. Despite growing research on risk factors, the psychological mechanisms linking upward social comparison to suicidal ideation remain poorly understood. This gap is particularly evident in Asian collectivist societies, where social comparison pressures may be more pronounced. Additionally, most existing studies examining this relationship have been conducted outside South East Asia, creating a significant knowledge gap regarding these psychological pathways within the region's unique cultural context.This study addresses these gaps by examining whether defeat and entrapment, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) beliefs serially mediate the relationship between upward social comparison and suicidal ideation among Malaysian emerging adults, guided by the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior. A correlational quantitative design was used using opportunity sampling through social media platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok). Three hundred and one Malaysian emerging adults aged 18-29 (M = 22.60, SD = 2.39; 223 females, 78 males) with a history of NSSI engagement completed an online survey via Google Forms containing validated measures: Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Oritatation Measure (INCOM) upward social comparison subscale, Short Defeat and Entrapment Scale (SDES), nonsuicidal Self-Injury Beliefs Scale (NSIBS) escape subscale, and Positive and Negative Suicidal Ideation (PANSI) negative suicide ideation subscale. Mediation analyses were conducted to test the proposed pathways. Results showed a significant positive relationship between upward social comparison and suicidal ideation. Defeat and entrapment significantly mediated this relationship. However, NSSI beliefs showed no significant relationship with suicidal ideation and did not mediate the upward social comparison-suicidal ideation relationship. The serial mediation pathway through defeat, entrapment, and NSSI beliefs was also not significant. These findings provide empirical support for the IMV model in Malaysia's underexplored cultural context, adding cross-cultural validity while highlighting the need for culturally-informed prevention efforts targeting upward social comparison, defeat, and entrapment among Malaysian emerging adults.
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