PREVALENCE AND EXTENT OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOURS AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF UNIVERSITIES IN NORTH-EAST STATES OF NIGERIA
Abstract
Suicide is increasingly becoming one of the leading causes of death among youth and
adolescents worldwide. In view of this, the present study investigated the prevalence
and extent of suicidal behaviours among undergraduates of universities in Northeast
States of Nigeria. The study adopted ex-post factor research design. Through multistage
sampling procedure, a sample of 389 undergraduate students in the Federal
Universities in Northeast, Nigeria, was drawn for the study. Anecdotal records and a
structured questionnaire titled Prevalence Rate and Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire
(PR&SIQ) were used for data collection. To determine the face validity of the
instruments, they were given to the experts. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.88
was obtained for PR&SIQ. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and
standard deviation), t-test and the z-test were used for data analysis. Findings revealed
that there is no significant difference in the extent of suicide ideation among
undergraduate students in North Eastern States of Nigeria by gender. Also, the
difference in the prevalence rate of attempted suicide among undergraduate students in
North Eastern States of Nigeria by gender is statistically significant, and the difference
in the prevalence rate of completed suicide among undergraduate students in North
Eastern States of Nigeria by gender is statistically significant. Based on the findings, it
was concluded among other things those undergraduate students in North Eastern
States of Nigeria indulge in suicidal ideation to a low extent.
Keywords: Prevalence, Suicide; Suicidal Behaviours; Universities, Undergraduates.
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