Relationship between academic burnout and suicidal ideation among medical students in Guayas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2602-8360vol10iss18.2026pp15-24pKeywords:
medical students, suicidal ideation, mental health, Burnout syndromeAbstract
Suicide is recognized as a priority public health challenge, and within this context, medical students constitute a particularly susceptible group due to the intense academic workload, emotional pressure, and sustained stress inherent to the training process. Against this backdrop, the study aimed to examine the relationship between academic burnout and suicidal ideation among medical students enrolled at universities in the province of Guayas, Ecuador. An observational design was implemented with a non-probabilistic sample of 312 participants. Data were collected using a self-administered digital questionnaire that included the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the Beck Suicidal Ideation Scale (ISB), instruments previously used in the local context. Statistical processing was conducted in SPSS, applying descriptive and inferential analyses and setting p < 0.05 as the threshold for significance. The findings showed that 20.2% presented high emotional exhaustion, 24.6% exhibited elevated cynicism, and 27.6% reported high academic inefficacy. Regarding suicidal ideation, 30.4% reported a moderate level and 11.2% a severe level. A positive and statistically significant association was observed between higher burnout scores and greater suicidal ideation, with statistically significant differences by sex (p= 0.042), being higher among women. It is concluded that academic burnout functions as a relevant associated factor for suicidal ideation in this population. It is recommended to implement preventive actions and psychological support programs from the early stages of medical training to mitigate this risk.
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