Hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation among young adults in urban and rural areas

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relation among hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation among young adults in urban and rural areas of Bangladesh. A mixed method, comprising a cross sectional survey design and qualitative component were used in the present study. Data was collected from 384 young adults. Colleges were selected following random sampling technique and respondents were selected by using convenient sampling technique. Among the total sample 344 were non-clinical and 40 were clinical adult respondents from different areas of Dhaka city and Chowgacha upozilla under Jashore district. The Bangla version of Hopelessness scale, depression scale and suicidal ideation scale were used to measure the hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation. The obtained data were analyzed by using Pearson Product Moment correlation, stepwise multiple regression and ANOVA. Results showed that suicidal ideation was positively correlated with hopelessness and depression. The result of multiple stepwise linear regression was calculated to find out whether suicidal ideation can be predicted by hopelessness and depression. Result reveals that hopelessness is a significant predictor of suicidal ideation (β = .60; p < 0.001).Whereas the results of simple regression were calculated to find out whether depression predicts suicidal ideation among young adults. A significant regression equation was found (F= 189.75), with an R² of 0.33. Model R, Std. Beta 0.16, 0.57, that is independent measure depression indicated as the significant predictor of suicidal ideation. The ANOVA results showed that there is a significant difference in hopelessness between two types of participants (F=30.26,p<0.1). On the other hand, no significant difference in hopelessness is found according to residential status and gender. No two ways interaction and no three ways interaction among types of participants, resident status and gender were found statistically significant in hopelessness. Results also indicates a significant difference in depression ii according to type of participants (F=34.80, p<0.1). But it shows that depression scores does not vary significantly according to resident status and gender. Moreover, in case of depression, no two ways or three ways interaction was found to be significant. Findings also reveal that there is a significant difference in suicidal ideation between two types of participants (F=33.89,p<.01), resident status (F=5.15, p<.01) and gender (F=5.76, p<.01). Two way interactions between resident status and gender has found to be significant (F=3.93, p<0.1) in suicidal ideation. No two way interactions between types of participant and resident status and between types of participant and gender are found statistically significant and no three way interactions among types of participant, resident status and gender are found to be significant in suicidal ideation. The analysis of focus group discussion indicates that hopelessness, depression, unexpected result in examination, family conflicts, low socio-economical condition, relationship break-up, social isolation, financial crisis, bulling and sexual violence are the important causes of suicidal ideation. The present study reveals an urgent need that for betterment of the students and identifying their problems and to provide them counseling services health care providers, educators, mental health professional and policy makers should take proper steps