RELATIONSHIP OF BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG THE YOUTH OF PESHAWAR.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship of big five personality traits with suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts among the youth of Peshawar. Data was collected from three universities of Peshawar through Convenient Sampling Method. Sample of the study was 384 young adults, age ranged from18 to 24 (M=21.92, SD=1.94). The sample further comprised of one hundred and seventy two (n=172) males with a mean age of 22.01 and two hundred and twelve (n=212) females with a mean age of 21.86 years. Tools used in the study included Big Five Inventory and Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation. The current study's findings indicated a 6% prevalence rate of suicidal ideation among youth in Peshawar. Results indicated that neuroticism and introversion is positively linked with suicidal ideation while extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness are negatively linked with suicidal ideation among youth. Further regression analysis showed that neuroticism is a positive predictor of suicidal ideation among youth. Introversion and suicidal ideation impact was found minor, although it is undeniable that youth who exhibit introversion personality trait tend to acquire suicidal ideation. Youth having low scores on agreeableness, low score on conscientiousness and low score on openness to experience have severe suicidal ideation as compared to those research participants who scored high on these dimensions. Individuals who scored high on extroversion scale experienced less suicidal ideation as compared to introverts’ individuals. It was concluded that big five personality traits play key role in causing suicidal ideation among the youth of Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa