Psychology of Suicide and Suicidal Ideation Among University Students in Oyo State: Risk Factors and Help-Seeking Behaviour

Suicidal ideation and suicide are emerging concerns in Nigerian university settings, with high-profile student suicides in South West states in recent years bringing renewed urgency to understanding the psychological risk landscape and help-seeking patterns among students. This study examines the prevalence of suicidal ideation, associated risk factors, and help-seeking behaviour among undergraduate students in Oyo State universities. A cross-sectional survey is applied to 320 students from the University of Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, selected through stratified random sampling. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, and the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire are administered alongside a questionnaire capturing depression history, substance use, financial stress, and social support. Logistic regression identifies independent risk factors for suicidal ideation, and descriptive statistics characterise help-seeking patterns. Available suicidology literature from South West Nigeria identifies thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, depression, and academic failure fear as the strongest risk factor clusters for student suicidal ideation. Joiner's Interpersonal Theory of Suicide provides the primary theoretical reference. Findings will guide the Oyo State universities' counselling centres in implementing a suicide prevention programme aligned with best-practice standards. Keywords: suicidal ideation, university students, risk factors, help-seeking, Oyo State.