Citation

Tomori M, Zalar B. Int. J. Adolesc. Med. Health 2000; 12(2-3): 177-190.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Freund Publishing)

DOI

10.1515/IJAMH.2000.12.2-3.177

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The study investigated whether differences in known suicide risk factors between girls and boys occur in groups of both suicide attempters and non-attempters. With 4203 non-attempters and 489 attempters of both sexes, high school students, within the age range of 14 to 19 years, we applied a questionnaire which included Zung's Self-reported Depression Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, questions on socio- demographic data, use of drugs, suicidal behaviour and other issues. Of 16 gender differences in the group of non-attempters, 11 differences were lost in the group of attempters, and five gender differences appeared just in the group of attempters. Adolescents who have already attempted suicide are more gender similar than their non-suicidal peers. The findings draw attention to the importance of normative gender differences in studying adolescent suicide and stress the need to assess carefully the suicide risk in relation to the gender of the adolescent.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; article; behavior; controlled study; demography; depression; Depression; drug use; Family; female; high school; High school students; human; major clinical study; male; psychologic assessment; questionnaire; risk factor; self esteem; self report; Self-esteem; sex difference; social aspect; stress; Substance abuse; suicide attempt; Suicide attempt