Depression, aggression and suicide ideation among adolescents in Alexandria

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure the adolescents’ attitude towards suicide, to assess the magnitude of the problem of suicidal ideation or attempt and to study its correlation among a non clinical, non deviant sample of high school adolescents aged 14-19 years in Alexandria, Egypt.

METHODS: A multistage stratified random sample of 1621 students of both genders was taken from 12 secondary schools in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1996. A self-report questionnaire including demographic data, potentially associated factors with suicide, Child Depression Inventory (CDI), Adolescent Aggression Scale (AAS), Attitude Towards Suicide Scale (ATSS), in addition to 4 other questions investigating whether adolescents were preoccupied by death, having a death wish, think to harm themselves or tried to harm themselves during the year prior to the study were applied to the selected sample.

RESULTS: High scorers of CDI, AAS and ATSS were more likely to be preoccupied by death, having a death wish, think to harm themselves or try to harm themselves (without serious medical morbidity) than low scorers. History of physical abuse during childhood, family history of attempting suicide and personal history of mental illness were the most important associated variables for the adolescents who have tried to harm themselves during the year prior to the study.

CONCLUSION: Suicide ideation or attempt is a public health problem in adolescence in Alexandria. Primary care providers both in the office and in the community should enhance preventive efforts.