RESEARCH SYNOPSIS

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM –

“An exploratory study to identify factors leading to suicide attempt among the
College students in selected hospitals of Pune city.”

Name of the guide- Dr. (Mrs.) T. Bhattacharjee Signature of the guide

Ph. D. Guide
B. V. D. U.
College of Nursing, Pune.
Name of the researcher- Ms. Anita S. Sali Signature of the PhD student
Ph. D. Student
B. V. D. U.
College of Nursing, Pune.
INTRODUCTION -
SUICIDE is defined as the deliberate killing of oneself. Tragically, suicide is a problem
that affects people of all ages, but most dramatically, adolescents and young adults. In fact,
suicide is the most rapidly growing cause of death among youth between the ages of fifteen and
twenty-four. In the mid-1990s, the National Center for Health Statistics ranked suicide as the
third-leading cause of adolescent death. In addition, the number of recorded deaths by suicide is
apparently an underestimate of reality since a large number of completed suicides go unreported
or are labeled as accidents.
WHO places on record that 1 million people die due to suicide every year. Other experts
measure that at least 5 million people are wiped out from the globe every year due to suicide,
which is more than any war, or natural disaster has claimed so far. It is third commonest cause of
death in the age group of 15-25 years.
In India about one hundred thousand people die due to suicide, as per the government
reports. There is raising trend seen in children, adolescents and in women. Suicide is the second
main cause of death in the age group of 25 to 35 years, only next to the road traffic accidents.
Suicide is now understood as a “public health issue” world over. Suicide phenomenon is not
merely medical or social problem. It is primarily concerned with public health in terms of its
dimension, diversity, universality and challenges. World Health Report 2002 places suicide as
priority health area for intervention.
When a student commits suicide, everyone is affected. Students are a vulnerable group.
Age, competition and relations in the family are all contributing to the growing cases of suicide
among school goers. Why students kill themselves? This is an extremely difficult question to
answer. The growth of suicide among students can be for various reasons. The major reason
being the new environment that he faces when he enters a college and is unable to adapt himself
with it. Going to college can be a difficult transition period in which students may feel lost,
lonely, confused, anxious, inadequate, and stressed. And these problems may lead to depression.
And again, untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.
If we look at deeply at this scenario, we all will agree that somehow the parents are also
responsible for the suicides of the students. A student really gets depressed when he is not able to
secure good marks in the examination. Along with the feeling of shame he has in front of his
classmates, there is a constant pressure from his family to perform well. When a student is
unable to meet this pressure for good performance and get a good job, last way out for him is
„death‟.
The college management these days indulges in high physical pressure on students and this
terrible stress becomes unbearable for some students. And at that state of mind the student feels
that to get rid of all this is to get rid of his life. Ragging has also become a major cause for
suicide.
India now is facing the worst situation of the rising cases of suicides among the students.
Certain steps need to be taken in this regard so that the youths are saved from taking such drastic
step. The education system and particularly the thought process of the parents needs to be
molded. If the stress and depression, the student is going through is met and taken care of at the
right time; these suicide cases can definitely be avoided.
Our schools might be giving good education but we need education in life skills. It is
important to have active participation of administrators, teachers, parents and students in mental
health program in schools. It is important to understand the forces that can lead students to
suicide and to know how to help. So researcher has selected a topic to identify factors leading to
suicide attempt among the college students in Pune city.
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY:
This qualitative study is important and needed for several reasons. There is a gap exists in
the knowledge of factors leading to suicidal attempt among college students. The available
literature focuses on quantitative aspects of the suicidal attempt. Thus the goal of this study is to
focus on qualitative findings in order to gain in depth understanding of the factors leading to
suicidal attempt among college students. It is seen that there is increase in suicide rate in India
and along with other age group it is increased in college students also. This study will add new
knowledge to this neglected area and also provide information to health care providers,
educators, mental health professional and policy makers to better understand the need of training
in identifying and counseling the students to prevent suicide among college students. Finally, this
study will provide information for future researchers who wish to study the different aspects of
suicide in different age group.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM –
“An exploratory study to identify factors leading to suicide attempt among the college students in
selected hospitals of Pune city.”
AIM OF THE STUDY –
To study the factors leading to suicide attempt among college students.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY –
1. To assess the factors leading to suicide attempt among college students.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE –

The review of literature was organized under the following headings.

1. Risk factors leading to suicide and suicide attempt among college students.
2. Prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students.
3. Prevalence of suicide attempt among college students.
4. Prevalence of suicide among college students.

METHODS AND MATERIALS -

Research method - A qualitative research approach and phenomenological research design was
carried out to assess the factors leading to suicide attempt among college students.
DELIMITATIONS –
1. It is delimited to the college student who has attempted suicide, and admitted in Bharati
hospital, Pune.
2. It is delimited to the parent of the student who is participating in the study.
POPULATION, SAMPLE, & SAMPLING TECHNIQUE-
POPULATION-
College students who have attempted suicide and admitted in selected hospitals of Pune
city and those student‟s parent, either mother or father
SAMPLE-
College students who have attempted suicide and are admitted in Bharati Hospital and their
mother or father
SAMPLING CRITERIA-

a) Inclusion criteria:

For students:

1. College student who has attempted suicide and admitted to hospital.

2. Students are included within one month of incidence of suicidal attempt.
3. Students who are willing to participate in research.
4. Students who can understand & respond in Marathi or English or Hindi.

For parents:

1. Mother or father of the students.

2. Parents who are willing to participate in research.
3. Parents who can understand & respond in Marathi or English or Hindi

b) Exclusion criteria:

1. College students who are seriously ill.

RESEARCH SETTING – Bharati Hospital & research center, Pune.

SAMPLE SIZE - Total sample size - 20. College students – 15, Parents - 5
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE – Non probability convenience sampling technique
DATA COLLECTION TOOL & TECHNIQUE-
Students and their parent were informed of the purpose of the study and asked to sign a consent
form. Semi-structured interview method is used. In-depth interviews were conducted with the
students as well as their parent. These face-to-face interviews were recorded using an audio
recorder. The researcher asked questions and followed up the respondents‟ answers. The
researcher made up follow-up questions from the informants‟ clues during interviews.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS OF THE STUDY-
Part – I A) Demographic data of the students:
All the respondent were from the age group ranging from 18 to 21 years, 13 participants
were female and 2 participants were male, 2 were from junior college, 11 were doing their
graduation and 2 were doing professional course, 12 were first by their birth order. All were from
urban area. All were from nuclear family, 3 participants father were alcoholic, 2 participants
have history of previous attempt.7 participants have used phenol which was available at home
and 8 students have used other pesticides which they have purchased from nearby medical shop
& used as a method of suicidal attempt.
B) Demographic data of the parent:
All the parents interviewed were from the age group 32 to 45. Four of them were females i.e.
student‟s mother. There education was up to secondary level. And monthly income was up to Rs.
20,000 per month.
Part – II Factors leading to the suicide attempts among the college students:
The results are organized here in meaning units by themes, and subthemes. These
meaning units are demonstrated with the use of quotes from participants. The data analysis
resulted in the emergence of seven distinct but interrelated themes with several subthemes in the
study of reasons leading to the suicide attempts: mental health issues, interpersonal conflict,
academic factors, family distress, parental behavior, love affair and life style. Each theme was
classified under 32 sub-themes.
Overarching themes identified with their related sub-themes
Theme Sub-Theme
1.Mental Health 1. Anger
2. Depression
3. Tension
4. suicidal ideation
5. Feelings of hopelessness
6. Feelings of loneliness
7. No control over emotions
8. Feelings of guilt and shame
2.Interpersonal 9. Argument with parents
conflict 10. Argument with husband
11. Argument with boy/ girl friend
12. Argument with sibling
13. Argument with teacher

3.Academic factors
4.Family distress
5.Parental behavior
6.Love affair
7.Life style
14. Felt insulted
15. Academic failure
16. Behavior of the teacher
17. College environment
18. Peer pressure
19. Sibling rivalries
20. Vices
21. Gender bias
22. Scolding/ beating to the child
23. Communication with children
24. Pressurizing to get marry
25. Suspicious behavior
26. Influenced by other
27. Break up of relationship
28. Non acceptance of parents
29. Fear of social stigma
30. Educational difference
31. Status
32. stress

Researcher has attempted to select the most representative quotes from student‟s as well
as parent‟s interview to illustrate meaning units. The number of quotes demonstrating themes
varied greatly from theme to theme primarily because of the differing emotional content of the
meaning units. As noted above, several themes and subthemes emerged within each category. In
all cases, a combination of several factors led to suicidal attempt. The results of this study are
consistent with existing research and provide additional information regarding the experience of
college students.
A model was proposed based upon content analysis of interviews with 15 students and 5
parents in the study. The model of factors leading to suicidal attempt among college students
illustrated important factors like interpersonal conflict, academic factors, family distress, love
affair; life style and parenting issues were highlighted by the student‟s perception of non
supportive communication. This has placed them in mental disharmony resulted in depression,
anger, suicidal ideation and feeling of loneliness. These factors placed the college students at risk
of suicide attempt.
CONCLUSION:
This study showed that participants experienced psycho-emotional despair, a variety of
social, personal and family conflicts, academic problems which drove them towards this state.
These findings show that interpersonal conflict, family problems, academic problems
contribute in suicide attempt. It was also found that social stigma and shame play an important
role in attempting suicide. Participants also had fear regarding the social & family consequences
of their love affairs being unaccepted. Another issue highlighted by the student was alcohol
problem in the family member and sibling friction. None of them had communicated in any
manner the intent to commit suicide prior to the actual attempt. But they regret for their act after
the hospitalization.
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DOI:10.11.11/j.1943-278x