311

Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology

July 2010, Vol.36, No.2, 311-316.

Perceived Causes of Suicide, Reasons for Living and Suicidal

Ideation among Students

Ishita Chatterjee and Jayanti Basu

University of Calcutta, Kolkata
The present study investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could evoke
suicidal ideation among female college students. Content analysis (Berelsons
Method) of interview of 120 female college students revealed four broad factors
leading to suicidal ideation namely, Academic, Interpersonal, and Environment
related. Events like public embarrassment due to some freaky incident, harassment,
rape and being jilted in love were relatively more important while events like death
of a loved one and acute financial crisis were found relatively less significant for
this sample. Further, the adult suicidal ideation questionnaire has been administered
to them to assess the frequency of occurrence of suicidal thought within the past
one month. Results revealed that about 12.5% of the students had high suicidal
ideation. Reasons for living (total score) has been found to have negative but
significant relation to suicidal thought. Concern for future and moral objections is
found to be strongly and negatively related to suicidal thought. This study reveals
that a strong and positive reasons for living is useful in preventing suicide. Moreover
the findings are relevant for therapist and counsellors in assessing suicidal risks.
Keywords: Suicide, Suicidal ideation, Suicidal thought
Suicide is one of the main causes of death 21.7% (Jena & Sidhartha, 2004). Urgency of
among college students. Recent reports have in-depth understanding of suicide in India has
suggested that the prevalence of suicide in been emphasized by Vijay Kumar (2007) as
this group increased 8% from 2003 to 2004 well as by Kjoller and Helwegharsen (2000)
(Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Mazza (2000). Dogra, Basu and Das
2007). National Crime Bureau (2005) also (2008) found that except stressful life events,
report majority of suicides (37.8%) in India are other predictor variables, i.e., personality,
by those below the age of 30 years. Thus, presence of meaning in life, reasons for living,
college campuses represent an important contribute significantly to suicidal ideation.
point of intervention for the prevention of Another interesting aspect of the literature
suicide for many young adults (Muehlenkamp, related with suicide is that while risk factors
Marrone, Gray & Brown, 2009). like hopelessness and loneliness have been
College authorities and teachers on extensively studied (Lubin et al., 2001; Billici
college campuses today are often perplexed et al., 2002; Ozguven & Sayil, 2003),
as to the best way to deal with suicidal increasing concern on prophylactic factors like
students. This is because suicide among reasons for living are being emphasized more
college and university students is a problem in recent years. In recent studies it has been
of complex dimensions that impacts many shown that reasons for living concept is an
people: survivors, teachers, authorities and important cognitive factor which plays an
parents. In a study in Delhi, suicidal ideation important role in suicidal behaviour in both
rate among adolescents was found to be adolescents and elderly people (Bender,
312 Students Suicidal Ideation

2000). According to cognitive theory, suicide 2. Reasons for living is associated

is thought to be an exit of hopelessness and negatively with suicidal ideation.
despair and if a person is full of hopelessness, Method
suicidal risks increases significantly (Minkoff
et al, 1973). Thus, the current focus seems to Sample:
be more on the positive and preventive aspect A sample of 120 female college students
of suicide rather than on the negative were selected from six undergraduate
hindsight. colleges of Howrah and six from Kolkata
Suicidal Ideation: Specifically, the (Colleges selected from North, South and
thoughts and cognition about suicidal Central Zones) from Science, Humanities and
behaviours and intent may be considered an Commerce Stream from 1st, 2nd and 3rd years
early marker for the risk of more serious respectively and with consultation to the
suicidal behaviours (Bonner & Rich, 1987; respective college authorities and individual
Fawcett, 1988). Suicidal ideation has also students concern. The mean age was 20.12
been viewed as a basic component in the years and SD + 2.09.
classification of suicidal behaviours. The Exclusion criteria are Students with
construct of suicidal ideation is defined as the physical handicaps, Students with past
domain of thoughts and ideas about death, psychiatric illness and Students not willing to
suicide and serious self-injurious behaviours answer all the questions of the questionnaire
and includes thought related to the planning, Tools:
conduct and outcome of suicidal behaviour,
particularly as the last relates to the thoughts Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire
about a response of others (Reynolds, 1988). (ASIQ) of William Reynolds (1988) consists
Suicidal ideation can be operationalised on a of 25 items. The respondent rates each ASIQ
continuum of severity. Along with this item on a 7-point scale, which assesses the
continuum, suicidal ideation can be frequency of occurrence within the past month.
characterized as ranging from relatively mild, The scale ranges from 0 (I never had this
general thought and wishes that one were thought) to 6 (Almost Everyday). The total
dead, to serious ideation about specific plans score is obtained by summing the point value
and means of taking ones life. Thoughts of the item responses. The reliability of the
dealing with the reactions of others, including ASIQ was investigated using Cronbachs
others perception of the suicidal individuals Coefficient Alpha (0.95) an index of internal
self-worth when he or she is dead are consistency reliability as well as test-retest
cognitions within this domain. reliability. The test-retest reliability of the ASIQ
in college student was 0.86.
Reasons for living ideals with positive
cognitions help in avoiding suicides. Though College Students Reasons for Living
the reasons may either be positive or negative Inventory (CSRFLI) (Westefeld et al., 1992)
but all of them help in avoiding suicidal was also used. It is a self-report type
behaviour. In the current study, an attempt has questionnaire that measures the reason why
been taken to study the events evoking suicidal some one would decide to continue to live,
ideation, its frequency and the relationship even if they were contemplating suicide. The
between suicidal ideation and reason for living CSRFLI is made up of 46 items, which form
among female college students. Specifically, six subscales, and each item appears on only
the hypotheses are: one subscale. The respondents rate each item
ranging from (1) not at all important to 6
1. Life events evoking suicidal thought (extremely important). The coefficient alpha
differ among themselves. estimates for the instrument subscales were
Ishita Chatterjee and Jayanti Basu 313

reported to range from 0.64 to 0.86. Table-1 indicates that incidents like
A semi-structured interview session was severe sexual harassment including rape and
conducted to enlist the life events provoking being jilted in love is significantly more
suicidal thoughts after thoroughly interviewing important in provoking suicidal ideation, while
120 college students the content analysis of rejection and failure in examination is
the interview was done following Berelsons moderately significant and incidents like acute
method and considering two experts views, financial crisis and commitment of an immoral
from the themes formed, the final list of life act is less significant in provoking suicidal
events were prepared which were classified thoughts. The means and standard deviations
into four broad categories vis Environmental, of the ASIQ and CSRFLI variables were also
Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Academic calculated. It was observed that the Mean and
and Career related. This list was again SD of suicidal ideation was 3.09 and 0,98
administered to 120 fresh college students to respectively. Among the six subscales of
assess their relative importance. CSRFLI, the Means and SD of Survival and
coping belief were 2.62 and 0.67, for college
Procedure future related concern 4.11 and 1.12 , for moral
In the first stage for recording the events objection 1.45 and 0.93, for responsibility to
evoking suicidal ideation data was collected friends and family 3.10 and 1.43, for fear of
through open-ended interview. Each interview suicide 1.99 and 0.88, and for fear of social
took place in a private chamber where no one disapproval 3.97 and 1.32 respectively.
except the interviewer and interviewee had an Subsequently correlation coefficient was
access. The interviewee was asked to report calculated to determine the relationship
the life events that evoked suicidal ideation. between suicidal ideation and reason for living.
The interviewer recorded the answers in a Table 2. Correlation of ASIQ with CSRFLI
cassette recorder. subscales and total score
Results Sl. No. Sub-Scale r
Table 1. Life events leading to suicidal 1 Survival and coping belief -0.140
thought of female students (N=120) 2 Future related concern -0.209*
3 Moral objection -0.236*
Environmental Life events % Relative
4 Responsibility to friends
Importance
and family -0.077
1 Severe sexual harassment
5 Fear of suicide -0.071
and rape 72 01
6 Fear of social disapproval -0.092
2 Being jilted in love 63 02
ASIQ and CSRFLI (total score) -0.264*
3 Death of a over done 19 12
4 Acute financial crisis 13 13 *p<0.05
Interpersonal Table-2 indicates that greater the reasons
5 Conflict with parents 51 03 for living, less is suicidal ideation among the
6 Conflict with lover 47 07 college students. It also indicates that in the
Intrapersonal present sample suicidal ideation decreases
7 Rejection 33 08 with increased concern for future and moral
8 Loneliness 27 09 objection, but is unrelated to survival beliefs,
9 Insult in a public place 23 10 responsibility to friends and family, fear of
10 After an immoral act 20 11 suicide and fear of social disapproval.
11 Incurable disease 35 07
Discussion
Academic and Career Related
12 Failure in the examination The college students reported a number
13 Lower marks than expected 39 06 of events that evoked suicidal ideation
314 Students Suicidal Ideation

(Table1). The events were related to cause of suicide for college students. Similar
environmental, interpersonal, intrapersonal as findings were reported by Bernard and
well as academic and career issues. Thus the Bernard (1982), Schotte and Clum (1982).
findings support hypothesis-1, that the life The suicidal rates are different for each
events evoking suicidal thoughts will differ in country, but the increase among young people
severity. The highest rated event was sexual is very prominent everywhere (Lubin et al.,
harassment and being jilted in love, 2001; Bilic et al., 2002). The same situation is
moderately important were failure in valid for suicidal thoughts as well (Kjoller et
examination or lower marks than expected. al, 2000; Mazza, 2000). Thus an increasing
Thus the issues of sex and romantic concern on prophylactic factors like reason for
relationship seems to be significant. Sex- living is an important concern. College
liberalization was practiced in ancient India, students reason for living was found
later to be replaced by Victorian views of sex negatively and significantly related to suicidal
in colonial India. To some extent it remains so ideation (Table 3 and 4). This is in support to
till date, though globalization has had some the second hypothesis. Thus inadequate
effect. The results suggest that the sample of reason for living might be a cause of suicide.
middle class Bengali U.G. students feel sexual This has also been reported by Westfeld,
harassment as stigmatised. Culture has a Cardin and Deaton (1992). Reason for living
significant role in suicidal interpretation concept has an important cognitive factor,
(Liberman, 2003). Chandler and Paroulox which plays a role in suicidal behaviour in
(2006) found relationship between cultural adolescents (Bender, 2000).
continuity and youth suicide risk. Probably,
from the perspective of participants, sexual Analysis of CSRFLI subscales in relation
harassment leads to egoistic suicidal thought, to ASIQ score (Table 4) reveals that a goal, a
by way of feeling of disintegration and isolation concern for future and moral objection are
from the society. It is a matter of immense valuable factors in preventing suicide and
shame and trauma to them, unacceptable to providing preventive counselling. Indian and
self and society. This incident is highly Bengali culture and its values play a significant
stressful. Dhar and Basu (2006) observed that role in evoking suicidal thought. The present
stressful life events differentiate between high study found significant evidence of the
and low suicidal college students, but the contribution of a meaning in life in preventing
findings are moderated by personality suicidal thoughts and absence of which
characteristics like ego function. Stress has intensifies suicidal tendencies. Studies
been found a significant event for suicidal indicate that attending college or university is
thought. commonly viewed as an individualistic goal.
Success in college has many positive effects,
Being jilted in love also brings depression such as giving individuals the sense that they
and hopelessness leading to suicidal ideation. are benefiting from past work, they are being
This is with line with Furr, Westefeld, successful members of the society and that
McConnell and Jenkin (2001) who found there are hopes and plans for their future. The
conflict with boy friend/girl friend as major results of this study suggest the college
cause of suicide. Conflict with parents was students positive benefits of college
also found to be a less significant nevertheless attendance. This could explain why college
contributing factor. Here also the role of may be a protective factor and the hopeful
interconnected Indian culture, where parents orientation that college and future career
play a significant role, in the life of U.G. college option afford. It also explains that students are
students (Chatterjee, 2008) is confirmed. able to maintain and strengthen their self-
Academic problems have always been a identity through their role as college students.
Ishita Chatterjee and Jayanti Basu 315

Bonner and Rich (1991) conceptualised Jenkins (2001), an effective suicide prevention
deficit reason for living (along with loneliness programme on a college campus should focus
and irrational beliefs) as vulnerability factors on three areas: (a) warning signs, (b) what to
that would interact with negative life stress to do if one is concerned about some one, and
predict hopelessness, independent of (c) discussion and identification of local
depressed mood. Mascaro and Rosen (2005) resources. It is crucial for psychologists on
conceptualised that deficit existential meaning college campuses to be proactive as well as
is vulnerable predictor of suicidal ideation. reactive in addressing this mental health
Connell and Meyer (1992) found that phenomenon. As the culture, values and
significant difference existed between suicidal beliefs also play a significant role, these should
and non-suicidal individuals on the Reasons be given due importance. Further research
for Living. It was further found that there can be undertaken to study the role of culture,
existed a sense of determination and efficacy values and beliefs in moderating suicide.
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Note: This study was funded by UGC Minor Research Project Fund, 2007- 08.
Ishita Chatterjee, PhD, Department of Applied Psychology, University of
Calcutta, Kolkata-700 009
Jayanti Basu, PhD, Professor, Department of Applied Psychology, University
of Calcutta, Kolkata-700 009