Testing the Associations Among Subjective Social Status, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicide Ideation in U.S. College Students: Single and Serial Mediation Models.

This study investigates how interpersonal anti-mattering (IAM), existential insignificance concern (EIC), and existential insignificance anxiety (EIA) mediate the relationship between subjective social status (SSS) and mental health outcomes—specifically depressive symptoms and suicide ideation—among 956 U.S. college students, framed within the Social Rank Theory. Findings indicate that lower SSS is associated with higher depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, with IAM and EIC uniquely mediating these links, while EIA did not independently mediate them. However, serial mediation analyses revealed that IAM, EIC, and EIA together sequentially mediate the effects of SSS on both depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. The results suggest that feelings of insignificance at community, interpersonal, and existential levels contribute to mental health risks in college students, highlighting potential targets for prevention and intervention efforts.