Suicide ideation and its relationship to depressed mood in a community sample of adolescents in Hong Kong

Suicide Life Threat Behav. 1999 Autumn;29(3):227-40.

Abstract

A sample of 996 Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong provided information about their suicide ideation. Their depressive symptoms were measured by the Chinese Beck Depression Inventory (C-BDI), and a broad range of stressors were also assessed as potential predictors to level of suicide ideation. The stressors and C-BDI scores predicted 33% of the variance in suicide ideation. In boys, most of the prediction was attributable to C-BDI scores, suggesting that depression mediated the effects of stressors. In girls, C-BDI scores, perceptions of low parental caring, and high conflict with parents had additive effects in predicting level of suicide ideation. This study contributes needed information about a non-Western population and highlights gender differences.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Psychology, Adolescent*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Sampling Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology
  • Suicide / ethnology
  • Suicide / psychology*
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data