Untangling the Mind Behind Bars: How Emotion Regulation Connects Self-Efficacy, Guilt-Induced Depression, and Suicidal Ideation in Ilorin Correctional Facility

In correctional facilities, where psychological distress is exacerbated by incarceration-related stressors like guilt, loss of autonomy, and impaired emotional functioning, suicide is still a serious public health concern. Anchored on social cognitive and emotion regulation frameworks, this study investigated how emotion regulation links perceived self-efficacy and guilt-induced depression to suicidal ideation among inmates in Ilorin Correctional Facility, Nigeria. A cross-sectional ex post facto survey design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to choose 210 inmates from Oke Kura Correctional Center in Ilorin (mean age = 37.3 years; 92.4% male). Perceived self-efficacy, guilt-induced depression, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation were evaluated using standardized tools. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. Suicidal ideation was found to be jointly and independently predicted by perceived self-efficacy and depression brought on by guilt, which together accounted for 63.4% of the variance in suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was strongly positively correlated with guilt-induced depression, whereas suicidal ideation was significantly decreased by perceived self-efficacy. The relationship between suicidal ideation and guilt-induced depression was not mediated by emotion regulation, according to mediation analysis. The relationship between perceived self-efficacy and suicidal ideation was, however, significantly mediated by emotion regulation. These findings highlight the significance of incorporating guilt-focused therapeutic interventions, emotion regulation programs and training, and self-efficacy enhancement into correctional mental health and rehabilitation programs in order to lower the risk of inmate suicide