Citation

Osafo J, Hjelmeland H, Akotia CS, Knizek BL. Transcult. Psychiatry 2011; 48(5): 643-659.

Affiliation

University of Ghana and Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, McGill University, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1363461511417319

PMID

22021107

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine psychology students' attitudes toward suicidal behaviour and the meanings they assign to the act. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 final year psychology students at a university in Ghana. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the students had a generalized negative attitude toward suicide. Religious beliefs and family harmony are cultural contexts influencing the interpretation of suicidal behaviour as breach of divine and communal moralities. The implications of these meanings of suicidal behaviour for suicide prevention in Ghana are discussed.

Language: en