Wang, TianyingButterworth, PeterCooklin, AmandaStrazdins, LyndallLeach, Liana2025-12-162025-12-160165-0327PubMed:39019220ORCID:/0000-0003-3686-2553/work/193633049ORCID:/0000-0001-5158-6855/work/193636191WOS:001284362200001https://hdl.handle.net/1885/733794874Background: Suicidal ideation, a significant public health issue, necessitates further investigation of its correlates and precursors. Extensive research highlights the association between Work Family Conflicts (WFC) and psychological distress, including depression. However, research examining the correlation between high WFC experiences and suicidal ideation is sparse. This study explores the association between WFC and suicidal ideation within an occupation non-specific community sample.  Methods: Community-based, representative data from the Australian-based Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life project formed the basis of this study. Participants eligible for the study (N = 1312) were employed either full-time or part-time and took part in an online questionnaire. Importantly, the data include robust measures of WFC, active suicidal ideation, and depression.  Results: After adjusting for psychosocial job characteristics, history of suicidal ideation, and other socio-demographic factors, high WFC was associated with increased odds of active suicidal ideation (Model 4: OR: 1.58, CI: 1.04–2.40). Further, supplementary analyses indicated that depression is an important component of this relationship. Analyses exploring an interaction effect by gender showed that while a significant association between high WFC and suicidality was observed among men after adjustment for all covariates, this association was not evident for women. Limitations: A small number of participants reported suicidal ideation, potentially affecting the statistical power to detect significant effects. WFC was measured at one time-point, prohibiting the exploration of its causal and/or chronic impact on suicidal ideation.  Conclusion: We find evidence that high WFC is linked to increased active suicidal ideation – specifically for men.The PATH Through Life Project commenced at the Australian National University (ANU) in 1999 and has been jointly hosted by the ANU and the University of New South Wales since 2019. We thank the PATH participants, research staff and Chief Investigators (Anthony Jorm, Helen Christensen, Bryan Rodgers, Simon Easteal, Kaarin Anstey, Andrew Mackinnon, Nic Cherbuin, Rebecca McKetin, Richard Burns, Timothy Slade, Paul McNamee). We acknowledge funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (#973302, #179805, #418039, APP1106723) and Safe Work Australia for the 20s PATH Cohort. Author AC is additionally funded by an ARC Future Fellowship (FT200100209).9en© 2024 The Author(s)GenderPsychosocial job characteristicsSuicidal ideationWork Family Conflict2024-07-1510.1016/j.jad.2024.07.04785199722918