Effects of Psychological Strategies Intervention in Reducing Suicidal Thoughts Among Nigerian University Students with Sexual Harassment and Victimization Experience

Abstract

Sexual harassments and victimization of students in Nigerian higher institutions of learning have continue to receive widely research attention on the daily basis. On this note, the present study investigated on effects of Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Systematic Desensitization Therapy (SDT) in reducing suicidal thoughts among Nigerian university students with sexual harassment and victimization experience in Ebonyi State. The study used quasi-experimental design control-trial-pretest-posttest design. The population comprised all the 3,020 students with likely sexual harassment and victimization experience in Federal Universities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The sample size of students identified with sexual harassment experience that met the inclusion criteria was 120. The instrument for data collection was subjected to contents and construct validity to be certain of accuracy and suitability in achieving the expected research outputs. Based on the data expected to generate through field trial, the instruments were modified accordingly. Suicidal thoughts Scale (STC) and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (Beck et al., 1991 & Reynolds, 1988) were adapted for the study with each item required a response to a 5-point rating scale ranging from 0 (‘Not at all’) to 4 (‘Daily or more’). Scores ranged from 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating greater suicidal ideation. The Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was the statistical tool used to determine the effect of Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Systematic Desensitization Therapy (SDT) in reducing suicidal thoughts among Nigerian university students with sexual harassment and victimization experience in Ebonyi State. More so, the effect size of REBT was gotten through Partial eta square and adjusted R2 values. The result revealed that the post-treatment/interventions, using the intervention of rational emotional behavioural therapy (REBT) and Systematic Desensitization Therapy (SDT) were more effective in reducing suicidal thoughts among Nigerian university students with sexual harassment and victimization experience in experimental group than those in control group. Based on the finding of this study, the researchers recommended that the psychologists and other school counsellors should employ the services of REBT and SDT and their principles in reducing suicidal thoughts among Nigerian university students with sexual harassment and victimization experience mostly in Ebonyi State. Curriculum designers can go a long way in embracing the principles of REBT and SDT towards re-structuring or innovate a transformative curriculum that reduces the menace of suicide crisis in Nigeria. In other words, understanding how to navigate suicidal thoughts deserves to be mainstreamed into the academic curriculum, particularly for reducing vulnerability among students and increasing access to restorative care for victims.