PW01-56 - Peculiarities of teenagers’ suicidal behavior

Adomaitienė, V.; Jaras, A.; Lauciūtė, E.; Dambrauskienė, K.; Taranda, V.; Vilkas, V.

Objective: Suicide is one of predominant causes of death among young Europeans. Recent statistical data on suicide proves that Lithuania is one of the leading countries in this domain. The goal of this study is to define and compare the peculiarities of suicidal behavior among teenage boys and girls. Methods: 109 teenagers of the age 14 to 17 years old (52 boys and 57 girls), who were treated in Kaunas University of Medicine Psychiatry Clinic Children - Teenagers’ Department after suicide attempts, took part in the study. Medical documentation and structured questionnaire designed by the authors were used. Results: The incidence of suicidal thoughts among teenagers who attempted suicide was compared according to gender. It was determined that almost one fourth of the boys (23,1%) and one sixth of the girls (17,5%) have never thought about committing suicide before they attempted to do that. Almost every other boy (48,1%) and 40,4% of the girls have had suicidal thoughts a few times a year. One fourth of the boys (28,8%) and one third of the girls (36,8%) have had suicidal thoughts a few times per month or per week. And only a few girls (5,3%) still had suicidal thoughts after a suicidal attempt (X2=4,04, df=3, p=0,3). Conclusions: No statistical gender differences were found in estimating the incidence of suicidal thoughts among teenagers who attempted suicide.

LITHUANIA; TEENAGE suicide; PSYCHIATRIC clinics; GENDER differences (Psychology) in adolescence; PATHOLOGICAL psychology; CAUSES of death

European Psychiatry, 2010, Vol 25, p1472

0924-9338

Academic Journal

10.1016/S0924-9338(10)71455-3