Study of suicide ideation in adolescents from 15 to 19 years old

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying suicide ideation among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old within the general population of Porto Alegre city, Brazil; characterizing adolescents with and without suicide ideation as to depression/hopelessness intensity; identifying suicide ideation, association level between suicide ideation and depression/hopelessness in those youngsters; as well as identifying the variables most associated to suicide ideation in those adolescents showing this behavior. A social-demographic datasheet, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Hopelessness Scale were used. Data were submitted to frequency calculation, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. From the 526 adolescents in the sample, 36% presented suicide ideation. Out of them, 36% showed depression symptoms and 28,6% hopelessness (moderate and/or severe). The variables most associated to suicide ideation were: feminine gender, a friend's suicide attempt, depression and hopelessness.