The Pattern and Risk Factors for Suicide Ideation Among In-School Adolescents in Nigeria

Adolescent suicidal ideations among, though prevalent in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), are grossly under-researched. For example, the African continent has the highest rates globally but accounts for a negligible proportion of the research into suicidal thoughts in adolescent populations. Although national prevalence rates are unavailable, evidence suggests that suicidal ideations are prevalent among Nigeria adolescents. The risk factors for suicidal thoughts among adolescents are subjects of extensive investigations, but the roles of alcohol and weight disorders remain unclear. Also, research into protective factors is rare and uncomprehensive. Measurement and comparison of suicidal thoughts are challenging in LMICs because of the paucity of validated scales for use in the local non-clinical settings. The current literature highlights the lack of a gold standard intervention for adolescent suicidal behaviors but suggests that school-based multi-strategic interventions are effective.

The proposed series of three-in-one studies identifies and compares the psychometric properties of suicidal ideation tools to promote more accurate identification of suicidal thoughts in non-clinical contexts. The research seeks to clarify the relationship between suicidal ideations and alcohol and weight disorders among adolescents while investigation factors that could be protective in a holistic manner. This research will pilot a comprehensive suicide behavior prevention intervention among secondary schools in Nigeria. The study will assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the program and identify the challenges and opportunities for scalability.

This research will contribute to adolescent suicidal ideations prevalence (crude and specific) data towards generating national rates for Nigeria. The studies will also evaluate the prevalence of risk factors and protective factors for suicidal while clarifying the role of alcohol and weight disorders. These data are essential to provide evidence for awareness creation, advocacy, policy, planning, and implantation of interventions. Also, the study will generate a scalable template for school policy and protocol and propose a comprehensive suicidal behavior prevention intervention for schools in Nigeria based on the Social Ecological Model. The pilot and scale up of these interventions will form the basis of a future grant application.