Dr Sarojini Naidoo graduated with a PhD in Psychology. UKZN Staffer Graduates with PhD for Study on Suicidal Behaviour
Lecturer in the College of Humanities Dr Sarojini Naidoo graduated with a PhD in Psychology for research which investigated suicidal behaviour in the South African context.
Naidoo, who has been interested in the field of suicidology for many years, says there is not enough research on suicide in South Africa even though suicide rates continue to spiral, particularly among younger people. ‘The World Health Organization estimates that more than 800 000 people die by suicide each year, with 75% of these deaths occurring in low and middle income countries, such as South Africa.’
Naidoo’s research tested a relatively new theory of suicidal behaviour. Using psychiatric outpatients from state hospitals and private psychiatry and psychology settings, she tested the hypotheses of the Interpersonal-Psychological theory of suicidal behaviour (IPTS). This is a promising new theory but had not been tested in the South African context previously.
‘This theory basically answers the question of why not everyone who has suicidal thoughts or feelings engages in a suicide attempt,’ said Naidoo. ‘It proposes that millions of years of evolution have sharpened our instincts for self -preservation. A person with suicidal feelings must therefore be able to overcome this instinct, that is develop an acquired capability for suicide, in order to engage in a lethal suicide attempt.’
Using regression analyses, Naidoo found evidence for the main hypotheses of the theory which are that a) when a person’s interpersonal need to care for and be cared for by others is thwarted to the point that they feel hopeless about the situation changing, they are likely to experience suicidal ideation; and b) in the presence of fearlessness about death and increased pain tolerance (i.e. an acquired capability for suicide), this suicidal ideation is likely to result in a high risk suicidal attempt.
‘The implications of these findings are that in order to prevent or reduce suicidal ideation, practitioners must target patients’ feelings of interpersonal alienation as this is a dynamic state that can be modified through interventions such as counselling,’ said Naidoo.
‘In people’s homes and at schools, families and educators should be alert to feelings of interpersonal alienation of those around them. On a more practical level, the means to engage in a suicide attempt, such as firearms, can be restricted.’
Naidoo was awarded a Doctoral Sabbatical grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF) allowing her to take some time off teaching to focus on her PhD. ‘I am immensely grateful to them for the grant.’
Naidoo thanked her family, friends and supervisor. ‘The collegial approach of my supervisor, Professor Steven Collings, was amazing with his statistical knowledge and ideas to refine the project which made a huge difference to my work. I also had incredible support from my friends and family - I think it’s difficult to do work at this level without that kind of support.
‘I am now looking at non suicidal self-injury, also known as self-harm behaviour, among adolescents. This behaviour, which includes surface cutting, scratching etc. with no suicidal intent, whilst appearing to be a seemingly innocuous developmental phase that troubled adolescents go through, may lead to an acquired capability for suicide over time, as these adolescents may gradually desensitise to pain and the fear of dying. Over time and in the presence of suicidal ideation this desensitisation could lead to increasingly lethal suicidal behaviour.’