Relationship between Life Events and Suicidal Behaviour among Adolescent Undergraduate Students in a Nigerian University

Abstract

Background: Suicide is defined as a serious self‑injurious act to kill them. The study investigates life events and suicidal behaviour  among seven hundred and ten adolescent undergraduate students in the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria.

Subjects and Methods: It is a cross‑sectional descriptive study. Stratified random sampling method was used. The Adolescent Self‑Rating Life Events Checklist and Suicidal Behaviour questionnaire were used to determine the life event and suicide behaviour, respectively.

Results: The lifetime prevalence of suicidal thoughts, plan, and attempt among the respondents was 18.6%, 2.4%, and 4.8%, respectively,  while 21.1% of respondents had a suicidal thought in the past year. In addition, 18.0% and 15.5% communicated suicide and would likely  attempt suicide in future, respectively, while 10.6% have a higher risk of suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour was higher among  adolescents who were severely affected by transfer from other schools or previously suspended than respondents who were not severely  affected by transfer or previous suspension from school (odds ratio [OR] = 3.022; confidence interval [CI] = [1.369–6.671]; P = 0.006).  Respondents who were severely affected by love failure had high suicidal behaviour (OR = 5.114; CI = [2.416–10.823]; P = 0.001), and  respondents who were severely affected by family members with serious illness were had high risk of suicidal behaviour (OR = 2.478; CI =  [1.122–5.438]; P = 0.004) than others. Furthermore, suicidal behaviour was higher among adolescents who were severely disturbed by  internal contradiction in the family OR = 2.478; CI = (1.122–5.438); P = 0.025 while respondents who severely affected by leaving home for  a long time had high suicidal risk than others (OR = 3.022; CI = [1.369–6.671]; P = 0.006).

Conclusion: School activities, family dynamics,  and love relationships are the important predictors of high suicidal risk among adolescents in the Nigerian university