Cross-Sectional Study of Depression and Suicidality Among College Students in University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Research in Education and Sustainable Development, 2021
The study investigates the demographic factors influencing the prevalence and management of depression and suicidal behaviours among undergraduates in Rivers State. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study because the research has wide scope. Seven purposes of study, seven research questions and five hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the search for information. The instrument for data collection was a researcherconstructed questionnaire, which assessed depression, suicidal behaviour and management strategies of depression among undergraduate students. The population of the study comprises all undergraduates in the three government-owned universities in Rivers State namely:
Psychological Factors As Correlates Of Suicidal Ideation Among University Students In Lagos State
Suicide ideation among undergraduate students all over the world has assumed an alarming dimension. It has become so worrisome that it has gained prominence in social discourse. The prevalence rate of suicide among undergraduate students in different parts of the world gives room for concern. Despite these researches, factors that predict the occurrence adequately investigated in this part of the world. This study therefore investigates psychological factors as correlates of suicidal ideation among university students in Lagos state. A descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. Two hundred and fifty participants were selected through simple random sampling from five faculties within the University of Lagos. Their ages ranged between 19 and 24 years with mean of 22.40 years (SD= 4.19). Two structured questionnaire; Hopelessness Scale (=0.87) and Perceived Stress Scale (=0.86) were used to collect data. The findings revealed that there was significant positive relationships between perceived stress (r = 0.338**, p < 0.05), hopelessness (r = 0.285, p > 0.05) and suicide ideation among the participants. The two variables jointly accounted for 61.1% variance in predicting suicide ideation among the participants. The independent variables made positive relative contribution to suicide ideation in the following order: Perceived stress contributed most to the prediction of suicide ideation among undergraduate students in University of Ibadan ( = 0.345, t = 50.077, p < 0.05) hopelessness ( =-0.020, t =-.308; p < 0.05) had relative contribution to suicide ideation. Based on this finding, it is recommended that students should be exposed to stress management and hope boosting training as a strategy for curbing suicide ideation. Positive academic environment should also be encouraged.
Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management , 2024
Students undergo a significant transitional phase from adolescence to adulthood, which is widely recognized as one of the most challenging periods in an individual's life. These students grapple with various issues such as adapting to school life, impulsive behaviour, feelings of isolation, cultural identity, academic performance, homesickness, financial difficulties, and depression, among other concerns. The paper therefore highlights the concept and types of depression, concept and types of suicidal ideation, symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation, risk factors for depression and suicidal ideation, effects of depression and suicidal ideation, and counselling strategies for reducing depression and suicidal ideation. Based on the review, it was suggested that students in school should seek guidance and counselling when experiencing depression so that early intervention would prevent the problem of suicidal ideation from escalating. Counsellors and other professional personnel should become aware of the potential factors that can lead to depression and suicidal ideation in order to provide adequate counselling to students where necessary on campus.
Middle East Current Psychiatry
Background Suicide and self-harm have been documented as the main cause of death among young adults. Nigeria as well as other low-income countries is reported to have a higher prevalence rate of suicidal ideation and self-harm as compared to high-income countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors that influence self-harm and suicidal ideation among university undergraduates. Results Four hundred fifty students consented to participate in this study where 61.3% were female with mean age of 20.02 + 1.88 years. More than 46% (208) had moderate social support while 80.4% had a high self-esteem and 72.7% low environmental factor scores. There was an association between self-esteem (p=0.001), social support (p<0.001), and self-harm but no association between social support and suicide ideation (p=0.199) as well as between gender and self-harm (p=0.118). Conclusions There was some form of influence from self-esteem, social support, and environmental factors on self-harm...
Suicidality in a Non-Clinical Sample of Nigerian Adoloscents: Prevalence and Correlates
Adolescents have one of the highest rates of suicidal behaviours found in research. Hence, health research and interventions have become a key preference among them. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, correlates and predictors of suicidality among Nigerian adolescents. A multistage stratified sampling was used in this cross-sectional study to recruit 1015 high school adolescents. They completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire -Revised (SBQ-R), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), General Health Questionnaire -12 (GHQ-12) and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The lifetime prevalence rates of suicidal ideation and attempt were 9% and 3% respectively, while the prevalence of suicidal ideation over the past 12 months was 12%. In addition, 10.2% constituted the suicide high risk group, and 10.1% of the respondents had the likelihood of suicidality in the future. Depression has the highest significant association with suicidal behaviours. Suicidality is relatively high among Nigerian adolescents, and it is associated with depression, anxiety, psychological distress and low self esteem.
NJIKO: A Multi-Disciplinary Journal of Humanities, Law, Education and Social Sciences, 2024
The issue of suicidal behaviour among students in tertiary institutions has been a grave concern to education stakeholders, especially guidance counsellors. However, the death of a student by suicide represents a devastating loss that affects many individuals from the student's family, friends, witnesses, roommates, faculty members, and academic staff. Many lives have been permanently damaged through self-destructive acts, and the problem is not only the industrialised countries but also of the developing ones. The paper therefore focuses on risk factors for suicidal behaviour among students of tertiary institutions. It also covers a review of relevant literature on the concept of suicidal behaviour, categories of suicidal behaviour, signs of suicidal behaviour, theory of suicidal behaviour, and counselling strategies for reducing suicidal behaviour. It was suggested that school counsellors should educate students about suicidal behaviour, including its risk factors and warning signs, and provide counselling on ways to overcome the problem.
Perspectives of college students on the causes and prevention of suicide in Nigerian universities
Journal of Psychology in Africa, 2020
We explored how university students make sense of suicide experience and prevention. Informants were 20 students attending a public university in Nigeria (females = 50%; age range = 19 to 46 years). The students completed a semi-structured interview on the causes and prevention of suicide in the university they attended. Thematic analysis indicated the students perceived suicide experience to be from relationship, infrastructure, living conditions, and mental health challenges. The students perceived the suicide risk factors as preventable and remediable with appropriately targeted student support-oriented resources .
Suicidality amongst young adults in South-south Nigeria
International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 2021
The following are the spectrum of suicidality:1. Suicidal ideation, refers to thoughts of engaging in behaviour, aimed at ending one's life. 2. Suicidal plan, is the formulation of a specific method and preparations towards ending one's own life. 3. Suicidal attempt, is the engagement in potentially self-injurious behaviour with ABSTRACT Background: Suicidality is a broad term that encompasses suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts. Suicide cuts across all age groups however the young adulthood phase is a critical time for the onset of suicidal behaviours. Often suicide is underreported because of the shame, as such it is a neglected public health problem in our environment. This study seeks to describe the pattern of suicidality and reported health seeking behaviour amongst young people in Bayelsa State. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the national youth service corps orientation camp, Bayelsa amongst 387 corps members. With the aid of an electronic, self-administered questionnaire adapted from the WHO STEPwise manual on non-communicable diseases; information on socio demographic features, suicide ideation, plan and attempt were obtained. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Results: The mean age was 25.37 (SD±2.38) years. Most participants were males (58.9%) and single (95.3%). Prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts was 7.5%, 4.4% and 3.1% respectively. Above one third (35.4%) of those who made suicidal plans in the past 12 months, actually attempted suicide, 4.4% and 2.6% of the respondents had a positive family history of suicide attempt and suicide death respectively. Conclusions: Young adults are a critical population for suicidality. Public health awareness on mental health promotion and uptake of mental health service should be encouraged. Decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria and better surveillance will enable more effective suicide prevention strategies.
Suicide among university students: prevalence, risks and protective factors
Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
Background: Research evidence on suicide in Ghana so far has focused mostly on suicide in the adult population and less work on the younger population such as university students and other vulnerable groups such as children, youth and the aged. Aims: This study was conducted to determine lifetime and current prevalence of suicidal ideation or attempts and identify the associated risks and protective factors among university students in Ghana. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 1003 university students (507 males and 496 females) with a mean age of 20.5 years (SD = 5.95) were administered questionnaires that measured suicide, psychological distress, self-esteem and subjective wellbeing. Results: We found the following prevalence rates of suicidal behaviours: ideations 15.2%, attempted 6.3%, death wishes 24.3% and suicidal plan 6.8%. Psychological distress was a risk factor for both suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt. Subjective wellbeing was protective of suicide attempt while self-esteem was protective of suicidal ideation. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for school-based mental health-promoting programmes that enhance young people's self-esteem, reduce psychological distress and boost subjective wellbeing.