Abstract:
The contemporary society is characterized by several problems among students in the secondary
schools. Some may be psychosocial leading to suicide ideation and attempts. This study sought to assess
the psychosocial factors in public secondary schools in Murang’a County. The objectives of the study were
to explore the gender differences on suicide ideation and attempts among learners in public secondary
school students in Murang’a County, Kenya. This study was guided by the psychosocial theory by Eric
Erickson, Interpersonal theory by Thomas Jioner and Psychological theory by Edwin Scheidman. This
was a mixed methodology study, whose design was survey and ex- posto facto for quantitative research
while phenomenology was for qualitative research for the purpose of data triangulation. The target
population comprised of the 5940 students, 116 Guidance and Counseling teachers, 289 class teachers
and 8 sub county educational officers, parents and suicide attempters. Overall, the sampled respondents
were 642 covering all the categories of the study comprising 560 students using cluster sampling, suicide
attempters and parents using snowballing, 56 class teachers, 8 sub county educational officers and 28
Guidance and Counseling teachers were sampled using purposive sampling. The data collection
instruments comprised of questionnaires for the students, interview guide for Guidance and Counseling
teachers, Sub County Educational Officers, interview guide for parents and suicide attempters and
focused group discussions for the teachers. The collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis for
qualitative data while quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics like
frequency tables and the regression model. The findings established and concluded that personality traits,
family history, school set-up and society setting had significant contribution to the frequency of suicide
ideation and attempts in Murang’a County, Kenya. The study established that while girls attempt suicide
more, it is the boys who die more since they use lethal means. The study recommended the empowerment
of the students both boys and girls on positive self-esteem and confidence by the teachers, the use of
various psychological therapies to deal with personality disorders by the guidance and counseling teachers.
