John-Langba, Johannes.Khuzwayo, Hloniphile Assistance.2025-08-072025-08-0720242024https://hdl.handle.net/10413/23884Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The increased prevalence of mental health issues and suicidal behaviour among adult female offenders in correctional settings necessitate an investigation of these dynamics to inform effective interventions with relevant strategies. Depression, hopelessness and lack of social support among offenders is a critical worrying issue that leads to the most unnatural death in correctional centres. However, these symptoms especially depression and hopelessness remain undetected because of the nature of the environment (correctional service centres) that are overcrowded and do not provide space and lack capacity for such investigations. This study was descriptively, and explanatory designed to investigate the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among adult female offenders in a selected correctional service centre in South Africa. It further assessed the intervening role of hopelessness and social support in this relationship. The interpersonal theory of suicide, hopelessness theory of depression and theory of social support provided the theoretical framework in this study. The study was conducted with a sample of 155 adult female offenders (aged 19-75) who do not have known psychiatric diagnosis at the female correctional centre in Durban KwaZulu Natal. A proportional probability to size cluster random sampling was adopted and data were collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using IBM-SPSS 29. Various statistical analysis was used including descriptive analysis, inferential statistical analysis, multiple regression and Andrew Hayes mediation and moderation Process Macro analysis (Bolin & Hayes, 2013). Descriptive analysis showed a high prevalence of depression (n=147, 94.8%) and n=8 (5.2%) with average depression symptoms. The prevalence of suicidal ideation is 28% (n=44) and 111 (72%) did not report any suicidal ideation symptoms. Further analysis found that the prevalence of hopelessness among female offenders was 60% (n=93) and 54.8% (n= 85) for participants who receive social support from either family, friends or significant other. Multiple regression analysis found that depression significantly and positively predicts suicidal ideation (F (.154) = 30.477, p<.001); hopelessness as well significantly and positively predicts suicidal ideation (F(1.153) = 215.216, p<.001). The study hypothesised that there is an intervening role of hopelessness and social support in the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation. Hopelessness was found to have a significant mediation role in the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation. A significant regression equation was found (F(2,152)=-3.315, p<.001), with an R² of .585. The results show that the participants’ predicted suicidal ideation is equal to -3.315- 1.248 (hopelessness) + (-.008) (depression). Social support was observed to significantly moderate the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among adult female offenders (F(3,151) = 41.033, p<.001), with the R² of .342. This study promotes suicide prevention and alleviation through identifying key mediating and moderating factors that could be targeted into interventions in the correctional service environment. Results from this study highlight the need for criminal justice and correctional service centres to strengthen their screening, monitoring and evaluation process of mental health on entry, during and reintegration of offenders. This study recommends further research using qualitative approaches to explore the narratives of female offenders on their lived experiences and the extent to which correctional services available are accessible, responsive to female offenders needs and utilised by offenders as a means of mitigating depression and increasing support mechanisms.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Offenders.Depression.Suicidal ideation.Offenders--Social support.Hopelessness.Thesis