Psychological Capital and Suicide Ideation

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Overview

This study examined whether developing Psychological Capital (PsyCap) could help reduce suicidal thoughts among high school students in Guyana. Psychological Capital includes four positive psychological resources: hope, self-efficacy (confidence), resilience, and optimism. High school students participated in a study that included a PsyCap development intervention. Students were assigned to either a treatment group that received the intervention or a control group. Psychological Capital and suicide ideation were measured before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. The study examined whether students who received the PsyCap intervention experienced increased Psychological Capital and decreased suicide ideation compared with students in the control group. The broader research also examined the relationship between Psychological Capital and suicide ideation using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses and included interviews with individuals in Guyana who had previously attempted suicide.

This study examined whether a Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention could influence psychological capital and suicide ideation among high school students in Guyana. Psychological Capital is a positive psychological construct consisting of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. The quantitative component used a quasi-experimental, pre-post control group design. Participating high school students were assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group participated in a PsyCap development intervention designed to strengthen positive psychological resources through activities involving goal setting, identification of resources and obstacles, development of alternative pathways for achieving goals, and application of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Participants worked individually and in small groups during intervention activities. The facilitator connected the exercises to the psychological resources represented by PsyCap. Psychological Capital and suicide ideation were assessed before the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. These repeated assessments were used to examine changes over time and differences between the treatment and control groups. The study also examined the relationship between PsyCap and suicide ideation using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The study was designed to test whether higher levels of Psychological Capital were associated with lower levels of suicide ideation and whether development of Psychological Capital could lead to a decrease in suicide ideation. Counseling professionals and school guidance personnel were available to provide support in connection with study participation.

Interventions

Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Development InterventionBEHAVIORAL

The Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention was designed to strengthen hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Participants engaged in activities involving identification of meaningful goals and sub-goals, identification of available resources and potential obstacles, and development of alternative pathways for overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. Participants also engaged in small-group activities to share plans, ideas, and possible solutions. The facilitator connected these activities to the four components of Psychological Capital: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 11 YearsMax age: 19 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Students enrolled in participating secondary schools in Regions 2 and 6 of Guyana. * Students aged 11 to 19 years. * Participants who provided the required informed consent. * For participants who were minors, parental consent was required. Exclusion Criteria: * Students who were not enrolled in a participating secondary school. * Students who did not provide the required informed consent. * For participants who were minors, students for whom parental consent was not provided.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Lifetime Suicide Ideation

Lifetime suicide ideation was assessed using participant survey responses. Lifetime suicide ideation was assessed using the suicide ideation subscale of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), as modified by Núñez et al. (2019). The measure consisted of six progressive Yes/No items assessing lifetime suicide ideation. Responses were used to derive a score ranging from 0 to 6. The minimum score was 0 and the maximum score was 6. Higher scores indicated greater severity of suicide ideation and therefore a worse outcome; lower scores indicated less suicide ideation and therefore a better outcome. Scores were compared between the Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention and control groups across assessment time points.