Social Psychology Research

Abstract Introduction: This study aimed to examine the interactive pattern of psychological strain and adverse early life experiences with suicide probability in adolescents, considering the mediating effects of positive self-perception and feelings of entrapment. Method: The research employed a descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population comprised all adolescents aged 13 to 19 in Nurabad (Delfan) County during the 2024–2025 academic year (1403 in the Iranian calendar). The study sample consisted of 623 adolescents selected using cluster random sampling. Data were collected using the Psychological Strain Scale (Zhang et al., 2014), the Suicide Probability Scale (Cull & Gill, 1982), the Entrapment Scale (Gilbert & Allan, 1998), the Early Negative Life Experiences Scale (Gilbert et al., 2003), and the Positive Self-Perception subscale of the Multidimensional Suicide Inventory (MSI-28; Osman et al., 2010). Results: The findings indicated that the exogenous variables (psychological strain and early adverse life experiences), together with the mediating variables (positive self-perception and entrapment), made a substantial contribution to increasing the probability of suicide. Collectively, these factors explained 56% of the variance in suicide probability. Moreover, psychological strain and early adverse life experiences alone accounted for 29% of the variance in positive self-perception and 50% of the variance in entrapment. Conclusion: Based on these results, fostering positive self-perception in schools and educating families—particularly during critical developmental stages—is important for suicide prevention, as this factor plays a role in reducing suicidal behaviors among adolescents.