PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG YOUTH IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The prevalence of suicidal ideation influenced by perceived sense of failure and hopelessness to manage psycho-social challenges among youth in Lagos State has become cause for concern. This study investigated the psycho-social predictors of suicidal ideation among youth in Lagos State. Survey design was employed with a 300 youth respondents drawn from the 5 administrative division of Lagos State. Data were collected using Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS). correlational analysis was utilised for hypotheses testing. Findings revealed that there was a significant joint contribution of anxiety, negative self-perception, stress, poverty, and stigmatsation on suicidal ideation, F (6.91414 = 3.820, p value (p = .001) with a less than 0.05 significance value. Results of the relative contribution of each of the psycho-social factors revealed that anxiety (β = -.296, p = 0.07) is a major significant predictor of suicidal ideation, negative self perception (p = .089), Stress (p = .091) and poverty (p = .379) show potential relationship but do not reach the 0.05 level of significance while stigmatisation (p =.187), did not show a statistically significant contribution to the prediction of suicidal ideation. The study concludes that psycho-social factors significantly predict suicidal ideation. It recommends reforms in the homes - acceptance and removal of unhealthy expectations; communities - external supports and guidance for youth, and society - creation of counselling centres to provide 24/7 talk therapy/psychotherapy; as well as restructuring the workforce to open up opportunities for the youth as against the ageing population that presently dominates it.

Key words: psycho-social, predictors, suicidal ideation, youth