Factors that Contribute to Suicidal Attempt among High School Students
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Date
2022
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the major factors that contribute to suicidal attempt among high school students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Suicide is a serious but preventable public health problem that results in social, emotional, and economic consequences in families, friends, and colleagues. The study employed non-probability sampling technique (namely, purposive or judgmental sampling technique) to select participants of the study. Accordingly, six high school students who had recently attempted to commit suicide participated in the study. The researcher contacted the six high school students through a school counselor who knows the adolescents very well. A semi-structured interview was used to obtain data from the participants. The interview sessions were audio recorded with the consent of the participants. The records were then transcribed verbatim and the researcher read the transcripts several times to identify the recurring themes. The qualitative data were then presented in the form of narratives that reflect the participants’ views. The findings show that lack of family support, separation from loved ones, death of loved one, hopelessness and loneliness are the major contributing factors associated with suicidal attempt among the participants. Overall, poor treatment of adolescents by parents or relatives and lack of time on the part of parents to treat their children led the adolescents to loneliness, hopelessness and finally to suicidal attempt. The study concludes that lack of family support, separation from or death of loved one, hopelessness and loneliness are the major contributing factors which led adolescents to suicidal attempt. The study suggests some ways of preventing adolescents’ suicidal attempts which may be used by the adolescents’ families, school community and policy makers.
Keywords: Suicide, suicidal attempt, adolescents, contributing factors