Influence of Emotional Maturity on Suicidal Ideation among University Undergraduates in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Emotional maturity partly explains the variations in individuals' reaction to the same issue under the same circumstances, the thought process has been linked to either high, moderate or low level of emotional maturity. Suicide ideation is the first stage in the development process of suicide behaviour, it involves thoughts about killing oneself as a means of escape from unpleasant life experience(s). Recently development in the study of suicide as revealed several factors that could influence the process of ideation-to-action framework. One of such factor((emotional maturity) is employed in this study to examine it influence on suicide ideation among the studied population using descriptive survey research design. Multi-stage sampling techniques was employed for selection of samples. Three universities were selected using ownership as basis for stratification, four faculties were selected using commonality in the three universities as basis, out of the total population of 38,348 students in the three selected universities, one hundred and twenty (120) students were selected from each faculty totaling one thousand four hundred and forty(1440) samples. An adapted instrument titled Questionnaire on Influence of Emotional Maturity on Suicidal Ideation (QIEMSI)’’ adapted from Desrossier and Reynod suicide ideation scale were used to elicit information from respondents using convenient sampling technique. Data collected were analysed using SPSS.To address research question on the influence of demographic factor on suicide ideation, results showed that items on the demographic section of the research instrument (Birth order, Family size, Parenting, Family type, Final decision maker and parent occupation) had no significant influence on suicidal ideation except for family size which showed negative correlation.  However, analysed data showed that emotional maturity exert a negative influence on students’ suicide ideation. This study concludes that emotional maturity and family size exerts a combined negative influence on suicidal ideation among university undergraduates in Osun State, therefore, this study pose it that the greater the emotional maturity, the larger the family size, the lower the tendency to conceive suicide ideas, plan suicide and commit suicide. Based on the findings of this study, university authorities show put in place online counselling platforms where suicide ideates can seek help under anonymity to prevent the burden of stigmatization.