The Association between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Suicidal Behavior in North Korean Defectors: Social Support and Loneliness As Sequential Mediators

We investigated the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms and suicidal behavior among North Korean defectors. The results indicated that social support and loneliness sequentially mediated the association between posttraumatic stress symptoms and suicidal behavior. The findings highlight social support and loneliness as targets for prevention of suicide for this population.