54. An Assessment of Personality Traits on the Prevalence of Suicide Ideation and Attempts in Public Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

The contemporary society is characterized by several problems among students in 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 study explored the influence of personality traits on suicide ideation and attempts among learners in public secondary school students in Murang’a County, Kenya. Interpersonal theory by Thomas Jioner and Psychological theory by Edwin Scheidman, a mixed methodology of descriptive survey and ex- posto facto for quantitative research and phenomenology was used for qualitative research for 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. The sampled 642 respondents 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. Data was collected using 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 instruments were piloted and tested for reliability at 0.6 reliability coefficients while validity was established for both quantitative and qualitative data. For qualitative data, trustworthiness was established by triangulating data from interviews and focus group discussions and the technique used was credibility. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis for qualitative data while quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics like frequency tables and theregression model. Results showed that personality traits had significant contribution to the frequency of suicide ideation and attempts in Murang’a County, Kenya. There is need to empower of the students on positive self-esteem and confidence by the teachers and use of various psychological therapies to deal with personality disorders by the guidance and counseling teachers. Establishment and strengthening of Guidance and Counseling programmes is suggested, training guidance and counseling teachers to reach out to the students, fostering life skills among the students to cope with the day-to-day challenges, enhancing the co-curricular activities and change of behavior attitudes among the students. Parents need to appreciate their children just as they are and should not peg their worth on academic performance while schools should put in place suicide prevention programmes.