In collaboration with Cardiff University and University of Rwanda Centre for Mental Health, the Rwanda Psychological Society (RPS) is conducting a study "Investigating parents’ and young people’s attitudes to suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviour, and self-harm in young people in Rwanda"                                                                                                

Youth suicide is a major global concern. The experience and drivers of youth suicidal thoughts and behaviours is poorly understood outside of high-income countries. Parental support reduces youth suicide risk, yet little research examines parental experiences and responses to youth suicidality. Rates of suicidality in Rwandan youth are high.  Parenting responses are affected by parental mental health, sometimes linked to their experiences in the 1994 genocide.

Our project builds an international collaboration and addresses the lack of research about youth and parents’experiences in sub-Saharan Africa through a qualitative project in Rwanda. We will conduct interviews and focus group discussions with parents and youths, both unaffected and directly impacted by youth suicidality, with key informant interviews with clinicians and community leaders. Findings will generate hypotheses relating to risk and protective factors, to be tested in future quantitative studies, and inform design of interventions to support youth and their parents.