Citation

Buga JW, Guwatudde D, Ovuga EB. East Afr. Med. J. 2005; 722-7.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Nairobi Medical Association of East Africa)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

It has been suggested that some individuals are suicide prone; and that such individuals can be detected long before they commit suicide. This paper reports the risk factors associated with potential self-destructive behaviour among a group of freshwomen at Makerere University. A suicide proneness questionnaire; the Umzimkulu suicide Proneness Inventory (USPI); was completed by 619 students admitted to the University in the academic year 1992/93. The results indicate that students' propensity to self-destructive behaviour was significantly related to the history of suicide behaviour among the students; or their relatives; and the presence of a probable depressive disorder as indicated by scores above at least 60 on each of SR; AL; AS; and PDW; scales on the questionnaire. The paper describes in detail the development of the USPI; and the theory underlying the study. Implications for improving counselling services for students at Makerere University are highlighted

Language: en