Suicide among Guyanese youth: Barriers to mental health help-seeking and recommendations for suicide prevention

ABSTRACT

The current study sought to better understand barriers to mental health help-seeking for suicide, as well as elicit input on recommendations for suicide prevention and intervention efforts for Guyanese youth. Participants included 17 adult stakeholders (i.e., teachers, administrative staff, and school-allied community workers) and 40 students at a secondary school in Guyana who participated in focus groups and interviews, respectively. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Themes related to perceptions of barriers to mental health help-seeking included shame and stigma about mental illness, fear of negative parental response to mental health help-seeking, and limited awareness and negative beliefs about mental health services. Themes related to recommendations for adolescent suicide prevention in Guyana included the need for culturally informed prevention efforts, the importance of integrating such efforts within schools, and the role of government and community organization in suicide prevention efforts. Findings have implications for the development and tailoring of suicide prevention efforts for Guyanese youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Suicide
• schools
• prevention
• youth
• LMIC

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Prerna G. Arora

Dr. Prerna G. Arora is an assistant professor of psychology and education in the School Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Arora’s research focuses on issues of access to school-based, culturally informed, mental health services for ethnic minority youth and families.

Sarika Persaud

Sarika Persaud is a doctoral candidate in the School and Clinical Child Psychology Program at Pace University. Ms. Persaud’s research interests include social justice oriented psychology and issues of mental health access in international settings.