Body Image, Narcissism, Envy, and Suicidal Ideation Among Vietnamese University Students: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Loneliness, Depression, and Self-Compassion

Suicidal ideation is a major concern among Vietnam university students, where academic and social pressures are high. The present study explored how body image, envy, and narcissism relate to suicidal ideation, with loneliness and depression as mediators and self-compassion as a moderator. Total 424 students completed validated online measures, including Suicide Ideation Scale, four-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-5, Benign and Malicious Envy, and Self-Compassion Scale. Structural equation modeling showed that body image was directly associated with suicidal ideation (β = .104, p = .031). Depression mediated the effects of envy (β = −.043, p = .045) and body image (β = .075, p < .001) on suicidal ideation, while self-compassion moderated the depression suicidal ideation link (β = −.11, p = .001). Though effect sizes are small, findings highlight the importance of interventions promoting positive body image, mental health, and self-compassion.