Determinants of suicide attempts in a group of students – a preventive program at the university

• Main Author: Marlena Stradomska
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medical Communications Sp. z o.o. 2019-09-01
• Series: Psychiatria i Psychologia Kliniczna
• Subjects: suicide; prevention; university; students
• Online Access: http://www.psychiatria.com.pl/index.php/wydawnictwa/2019-vol-19-no-3/determinants-of-suicide-attempts-in-a-group-of-students-a-preventive-program-at-the-university?aid=878

Objective: The article summarises the reflections on the results of the research carried out in 2017–2019. The aim of the study was to analyse the causes and determinants of suicide attempts undertaken in early and middle adulthood (among students’ representatives). Material and methods: The study group consisted of 425 people – students randomly selected from representatives of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. Initially, the research was carried out as part of cooperation with the Support Team for People with Disabilities, and then expanded, due to the high demand for research into prevention and mental health at the university. The age of the subjects oscillated between 18 and 31 years. Representatives of individual departments came from the following provinces: Lublin, Subcarpathia, Lesser Poland and Masovia Voivodships. The test results were subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Results: The analysis shows that, according to the majority of respondents, they do not know where to go for free psychological help at the university (93.6%). On the other hand, more than half of respondents believe that suicidal behaviour in a student representative may cause, for example the Werther effect, the desire to imitate a similar act (68.5%). Students believe that social ties during academic learning are becoming less and less strong. They believe that many people do not react to other people’s problems, and even threatening situations are often ignored (52.5%). Conclusions: There is a need for education, prevention and stimulation of social interest in the subject of self-destruction, suicide attempts or behaviours threatening the individual’s health and life.