Learned Helplessness, Self-Concept Clarity and Fatigue as Predictors of Suicidality Among Adolescents and Adults in Oyo State, Nigeria

Suicide is widely recognised as a global phenomenon requiring evidence-based preventive measures. Quite a number of variables have been documented to predict the existence of this menace globally. While some are theoretical postulations others have been empirically proven. There is, however, paucity of information on the combined impact of variables on suicidality in the literature. Consequently, this study examined the combined and separate predictive impact of learned helplessness, self-concept clarity and fatigue on suicidality among adults and adolescents in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data was collected from 2493 participants using a cluster sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis (Stepwise) was employed to test the two stated hypotheses. Results indicate that learned helplessness, self-concept clarity and fatigue jointly accounted for 99.6% of the variance in suicidality and separately predicted suicidality at different degrees in this order fatigue, self-concept clarity and learned helplessness. These findings have implications for SDG 8. Economic development programmes targeted at achieving SDG 8 should be designed in a way to curtail the predictive value of these variables among adolescents and adults for them to be alive and make productive economic impacts in their various countries.