Gender differences of teenagers suicidal behavior: Correlation with depression, personal peculiarities

Abstract

Objective:because of the increasing rates of suicides, especially among young people, suicidal behavior becomes more and more actual problem in many countries. Lithuania is known as a country where suicides rate is the highest in Europe.The goal is to find out and compare gender differences in teenagers suicidal behavior relations with depression, personal peculiarities.Methods:two groups of teenagers from 14 to 17 were researched: cases (who tried to commit a suicide, N=109) and control group (without suicidal anamnesis, N=218). Aiming to establish teenagers' diagnoses in cases group, clinical psychiatric research was performed, in accordance with ICD- 10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders diagnostic reference requirements, diagnoses distribution was compared in relation to sex. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was used to evaluate personalities in both groups, obtained profiles were compared among groups and sex.Results:depression diagnosis (F32) was established only to 22,9% of teenagers, more cases were established among boys than girls (p<0,001). Adjustment disorders (F43) and disorders of conduct and emotions (F91-92) diagnoses were more frequent among girls (p<0,001). Cases group boys in MMPI profile more often than girls had greater scales of depression, psychasteny and anxiety, girls, relatively, had greater scales of hysteric, psychopathic and mania (p<0,05).Conclusions:Depression is less frequent than adjustment disorders and disorders of conduct and emotions among the teenagers who tried to commit a suicide. The researched boys proved to be more inclined to depression and girls implemented more hysteria and psychopathic personality attributes.