Risky Behavior Subtypes and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents with Depression

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify the risky behavior subtypes in adolescents with depression, and the relationship between those subtypes and suicide attempt. METHODS: Ninety adolescents who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition criteria for major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or depressive disorder not otherwise specified participated in the study. Participants were interviewed about suicidal attempts, non-suicidal self-injuries. Smoking, drinking behaviors, and searching for the word "suicide" on the internet, negative life events including bulling-bullied experiences, and history of abuse were also included with questionnaires. RESULTS: The results of cluster analysis showed that four risky behaviors were divided into three clusters : non-risky type, characterized by few risky behaviors ; delinquency type, which was characterized by smoking and drinking ; non-suicidal self-injury type. In non-suicidal self-injury type, percentage of girls was higher and clinical symptoms were more severe than delinquency type. In addition, delinquency type members could be a bully, while non-suicidal self-injury type members could be abused by a family member. Logistic regression analysis showed that both risky behavior subtypes were significant predictors of suicide attempt. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that two types of risky behaviors of depressed adolescents have an effect on the suicide attempts independently. Then, the implications and limitations of the study were discussed and directions for future studies were suggested.