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Effect of Mental Health First-Aid Training on Suicide Risk Recognition among Youth Leaders in Nigeria

Abstract

Suicide remains an important public health concern among young people, while youth leaders may occupy influential positions within schools, universities, youth organizations, community groups, religious associations, and other settings where they interact regularly with young people experiencing emotional distress. Youth leaders may therefore have opportunities to recognize changes in behaviour, emotional difficulties, social withdrawal, expressions of hopelessness, and other warning signs associated with suicide risk. However, limited mental health knowledge, misconceptions about suicide, uncertainty about appropriate responses, stigma, and inadequate awareness of referral pathways may reduce their ability to identify and respond appropriately to individuals at risk. Mental health first-aid training provides an opportunity to equip youth leaders with knowledge and practical skills for recognizing mental health difficulties, identifying suicide warning signs, initiating supportive conversations, responding appropriately, and connecting individuals at risk with qualified mental health professionals and emergency services. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of mental health first-aid training on suicide risk recognition among youth leaders in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes knowledge, self-efficacy, observational learning, behavioural skills, and supportive social environments in the development of effective mental health first-aid competencies. The Health Belief Model explains how youth leaders' perceptions of suicide risk, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits of mental health first-aid training, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their ability to recognize suicide risk and encourage appropriate help-seeking. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and intentions may influence youth leaders' willingness to identify and respond to individuals experiencing suicide risk. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how mental health first-aid training may influence suicide risk recognition among youth leaders in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise youth leaders working or volunteering in selected schools, universities, youth organizations, community groups, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other youth-focused settings across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, local government areas, youth organizations, institutions, community groups, and eligible youth leaders. Mental health first-aid training will be measured using indicators such as exposure to structured training sessions, training frequency and duration, knowledge of common mental health conditions, recognition of emotional distress, identification of suicide warning signs, awareness of suicide risk factors, supportive communication, active listening, crisis response procedures, referral knowledge, emergency response awareness, confidentiality, and professional boundaries. Suicide risk recognition will be assessed using indicators such as recognition of verbal warning signs, behavioural changes, expressions of hopelessness, social withdrawal, previous suicidal behaviour, recognition of immediate risk, identification of situations requiring urgent professional intervention, awareness of protective factors, appropriate interpretation of suicide-risk case scenarios, and knowledge of referral and emergency procedures. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, case-based scenarios, skills assessments, and validated suicide risk recognition instruments administered before and after the training intervention. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' demographic and leadership characteristics, previous mental health training, and suicide risk recognition levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired sample tests, independent sample tests, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of mental health first-aid training on suicide risk recognition. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that mental health first-aid training has a significant positive effect on suicide risk recognition among youth leaders in Nigeria. Youth leaders exposed to structured mental health first-aid training are expected to demonstrate improved ability to recognize suicide warning signs, identify risk factors, interpret behavioural and emotional changes, distinguish situations requiring urgent intervention, initiate supportive conversations, and facilitate appropriate referral compared with their baseline recognition skills or youth leaders without similar training. Practical approaches involving case discussions, role-play, simulated conversations, and referral exercises may strengthen youth leaders' confidence and ability to respond appropriately to individuals experiencing suicide risk. Improved recognition may facilitate earlier connection to professional mental health and emergency services and strengthen community-based suicide prevention efforts. However, stigma surrounding suicide, cultural and religious misconceptions, fear of saying the wrong thing, limited availability of mental health professionals, inadequate referral systems, and uncertainty regarding youth leaders' responsibilities may limit the application and sustainability of training. The study therefore expects accessible, culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and regularly reinforced mental health first-aid training to contribute significantly to improved suicide risk recognition among youth leaders in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on mental health first-aid training, suicide risk recognition, youth leaders, suicide prevention, mental health literacy, community-based mental health, crisis intervention, youth mental health, health education, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Federal Ministry of Education, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, youth organizations, schools, universities, community organizations, religious organizations, mental health professionals, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening community-based suicide prevention capacity. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating mental health first aid into youth leadership development programmes, establishing clear referral and emergency response pathways, improving access to mental health services, strengthening youth mental health education, reducing suicide-related stigma, and developing sustainable youth-led suicide prevention initiatives across Nigeria.

Keywords: Mental health first-aid training, suicide risk recognition, youth leaders, suicide prevention, youth mental health, mental health literacy, crisis intervention, community mental health, health education, referral systems, Nigeria, public health.