University Students’ Awareness and Willingness to Intervene: Bystander Response to Peer Suicidal Risk in Kyrgyzstan

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58671/aswj.v13i2.139

Keywords:

bystander intervention, suicide prevention, young people, students, Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

While suicide is widely recognized as a serious concern, there is limited research on how young people perceive and respond to suicide risk among their peers. Our research aims to explore Kyrgyzstani university students' awareness and personal connections to suicide risk among peers, as well as their likelihood to intervene. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 239 university students in Kyrgyzstan, employing an instrument based on the Bystander Intervention (BSI) Model. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, visualizations, and thematic grouping of open-ended questions to identify trends and insights. Students show a strong awareness of the severity in Kyrgyzstan. While students view suicidal ideation as an emergency, they struggle to identify manipulative behaviors and specific signs. Students are generally willing to intervene but lack the knowledge and confidence for concrete actions. This study highlighted the critical role of personal experience, awareness, and skill development in shaping students' readiness to support peers at suicidal risk, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions to equip bystanders with effective knowledge and resources for proactive suicide prevention.

Author Biographies

Leila Salimova, Bishkek State University; University of Alabama, USA

Leila Salimova is a PhD student at the School of Social Work, the University of Alabama (2024). Leila also holds master’s degree in Social Work with Children and Youth (ESWOCHY’23) as well as her bachelor's in teaching and law. Leila's research interests focus on problems with adolescent suicide, social work in crises, and social psychology. Her recent publications include “Collaborative Strategies for Adolescent Suicide Prevention: Insights from Slovakia and Kyrgyzstan”, Discover Mental Health (2024); “Navigating Suicidal Crisis in Kyrgyzstan: A Case Study”, Asean Social Work Journal (2024); “Positionality Statement in Social Work Practice: Pragmatism”, Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays (JOIE) (2025).

Meerim K. Nurbaeva, Association of International Scientists from Central Asia

Dr. Meerim Nurbaeva received her M.S. in Biology from Kyrgyz National University in 2008 and her Ph.D. from Eberhard-Karl-University of Tübingen, Germany, in 2013. With over seven years of international research experience spanning Germany (Tübingen University), the United States (New York University), and France (Paris Descartes University), her primary research interests include regenerative medicine, physiology, Ca2+ signaling, immune system cells, adolescent suicide, education. She is keenly interested in deepening the understanding of adolescent suicide and its prevention mechanisms. Beyond her research, she is the founder of the Association of International Scientists from Central Asia, an initiative that supports scientific talents, fosters scientific connections, and promotes scientific growth in the region. Her recent publications include research in Precis Future Med (2025), FASEB Journal, Journal of Dental Research, Journal of Physiology, Scientific Reports, and Frontiers in Physiology, where she also served as a guest editor.

Noah Agbo, The School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland

Noah Agbo is a second-year PhD student in Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Noah has a Master in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from Nigeria’s premier University (The University of Ibadan), and another Masters in Social Work with Children and Youth from a consortium of four universities in Europe (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania, Riga Stradins University, Latvia, Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Slovakia, and University Institute of Lisbon, ISCTE, Portugal. Noah’s research interests include mental health of young people, disability, migration, SEN, and developmental disorders. Lead principal investigator in a research published in Health Science Report - Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Survey on Primary Healthcare Workers' Knowledge, N Agbo, Y Adeniyi, OM Akpa, O Omigbodun - Health Science Reports, 2025.

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Published

2025-12-29

How to Cite

Salimova, L., Nurbaeva, M. K. ., & Agbo, N. . (2025). University Students’ Awareness and Willingness to Intervene: Bystander Response to Peer Suicidal Risk in Kyrgyzstan. Asean Social Work Journal, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.58671/aswj.v13i2.139

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2, December 2025

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Leila Salimova, Dr. Meerim K. Nurbaeva, Noah Agbo

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