Which syndromes of the DSM-5 is most associated with suicidal ideation in adolescents? Analysis by age and gender
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the strength of association between five categories of syndromes of the DSM-5 and suicidal ideation according to age and sex. From Montreal area, 464 youth aged from 12 to 15 years were met in school setting (237 girls, 227 boys) and 141 adolescents were met in clinical setting (62 girls and 79 boys). Each teenager complete the Dominic Adolescent, a self-report measure to conveniently and quickly garner DSM-5 diagnostic-approximates about frequent mental health problems. Suicidal ideations were found in 8.6% of adolescents in school context and 37.6% in the clinical setting. Results show a strong association between suicide and depression in both samples, regardless of age and gender. In the school sample, depressed adolescents and youth aged 14 and 15 years are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Moreover, boys with disruptive behaviors and girls with ADHD symptoms have more possibility of having suicidal thoughts. In clinical setting, depression syndrome and substance use are associated to suicidal thoughts. Depression is an important vulnerability factor for both girls and boys regardless of school or clinical sample. The presence of one of those five categories of psychiatric syndromes increases the risk for suicide thoughts in adolescents aged between 12 and 15 years old. Results from this study support the relevance of early identification of DSM-5 syndromes and the importance of early screening among high school students.