Noh Amit

Psychological Factors as Predictors of Suicidal Ideation among Adolescents in Malaysia

Background There has been a drastic increase in the rate of suicides over the past 45 years in Malaysia. The statistics show that adolescents aged between 16 and 19 years old are at high risk of committing suicide. This could be attributed to issues relating to the developmental stage of adolescents. During this stage, adolescents face challenges and are exposed to various stressful experiences and risk factors relating to suicide. Method The present study examined psychological factors (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress) as predictors for suicidal ideation among adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 students (103 males and 87 females), aged 15 to 19 years old from two different schools in Kuala Lumpur. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21-item version (DASS-21) was used to measure depression, anxiety and stress among the students, and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS) to measure suicidal ideation. The data were analysed using Pearsons correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results The results show that 11.10%, 10.00%, and 9.50% of the students reported that they were experiencing severe depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. There were significant correlations between depression, anxiety, and stress with suicidal ideation. However, only depression was identified as a predictor for suicidal ideation. Conclusion Hence, this study extends the role of depression in predicting suicidal ideation among adolescents in the Malaysian context. The findings imply that teenagers should be assisted in strengthening their positive coping strategies in managing distress to reduce depression and suicidal ideation.

Gender differences and psychological factors associated with suicidal ideation among youth in Malaysia

Suicide is a global phenomenon that has been showing an upward trend in recent years. It is the second leading cause of death among youth. Studies on suicidal ideation warrant greater attention, as it leads to suicide attempts and other health risk behaviors. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare gender differences in suicidal ideation and determine the predictors of suicidal ideation among youth. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 232 youths aged between 15 and 25 years from selected urban areas in Malaysia. The results showed that suicidal ideation was higher among male participants compared with female participants. Age was the predictor of suicidal ideation for males, while depression and loss of motivation, as components of hopelessness, were the predictors of suicidal ideation among females. Hence, it is important that professionals conduct early identification tests for suicidality among young people. This will facilitate the early detection of depression and hopelessness, which is important, in order to prevent suicidal behaviors or other problems before these occur.

Counseling Supervision for Counselor Development in Malaysia

A mounting body of research confirms the clinical wisdom that supervision is a critical component of counselor development. Recent supervision research has unraveled some of the important elements of supervision that can contribute to the effectiveness of and satisfaction with counseling supervision. The process and characteristics of counseling supervision have been extensively studied in the western countries and many theoretical approaches and models of supervision have been developed. Notwithstanding the broad acceptance of supervision, there has been little empirical investigation in the local context that explores this topic. This lack of normative information makes it difficult for Malaysia to develop its own model of counseling supervision that is agreed upon by most institutions. Encouraging news for the supervisors is that the Malaysian Board of Counselors or Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia has taken the initial step in training supervisors suggesting an awareness of the importance of quality supervision. This paper draws on recent literature to illustrate the need for quality research in counseling supervision to contribute to counselor development. Some issues and challenges in developing the Malaysian model of supervision are also discussed. Suggestions for future research are also presented to tie-up the whole discussion. Keyword - Counselor Education, Supervision, Malaysian counseling, professional development.