The Relationship Between the Knowledge of Nursing Students About Suicide and Their Stigmatizing Attitudes Towards People Committing Suicide, and Associated Factors: A Sample of Nursing Students from Turkey

Abstract

Aim: The present study was designed to examine the relationship between the knowledge of nursing students about suicide and their stigmatizing attitudes towards people committing suicide, and the factors affecting it. Methods: The study had a cross-sectional and descriptive-correlational design and was conducted with 446 nursing students. The data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Data Form, the Suicide Stigmatization Scale (SSS), and the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS). Findings: The mean LOSS score was at a moderate level, and was at the lowest level in the dimension of “knowing the symptoms” (1.738±1.267). Students who applied to a psychiatrist before and reported that they had a psychiatric diagnosis had a high mean score on the LOSS. Those who said that they needed psychological support had a higher level of knowledge on suicide than those who did not (p=0.001). The mean ILSS score was at a moderate level and the most approved sub-dimension was “isolation/depression” (3.015±0.459). The stigmatization sub-dimension of the students who did not have a family history of psychiatric treatment was found to be higher and significant when compared to the students who had a family history of psychiatric treatment (p=0.001). A relationship was detected between the students’ total scale mean scores on LOSS and the mean scores of the Stigmatization (r=-0.471), isolation/depression (r=-0.37), and sublimation/normalization (r=-0.363) sub-dimensions (p=0.001). A significant relationship was detected between the level of knowledge on suicide and stigmatization (F=126, 260; p=0.000<0.05). Conclusion: The level of knowledge about suicide is effective in reducing stigmatization towards suicide. There is a need for psychoeducational programs to reduce the stigmatizing attitudes of nursing students, who will have important roles in healthcare practices and patient care in the future, and to ensure the adequacy of their knowledge about suicide.